Catching the Bus
by Aamora Guest Maura Wolfson-Foster
1/17/10. Woke up early. Drove my parents’ beige 2000 Lincoln Continental (our transportation these days) to Pepboy’s. They were short a mechanic and the wait was going to be 2 to 3 hours. I asked if it would be better to come in the next morning and they said, ‘Okay….around 8:30.”
On my way there I had noticed a painted bus but held myself back from taking a photo. When I came out, I was so happy to see the bus still parked there. I was trying to get my camera out of the bag when the bus started to pull away. All I could think about was “Aaron & Aamora…” I had to get those pix!
Jumped into the car and started following. Every time the bus stopped I would snap a photo. Stayed right behind for at least a mile until the bus pulled into the Avenues Shopping Mall and parked. I pulled up on the left side, leapt out and proceeded to photograph (even though there were cops there and the tag on the Lincoln is from 2007).
A few minutes later, the driver got out of the bus and asked, “May I help you?” I replied, “I’m just a crazy artist and this is such a cool bus…I…I followed you.” He said, “I know.” I asked if he minded me taking a few pictures. He said, “No”. I asked if he wanted to be in one. He said, “No”. I thanked him and took a few more photos.
So, these are the result of my quest. I think I should have been a photojournalist, because I’ll do almost anything to get the shot.
*****
Maura Wolfson-Foster received her B.F.A. from Bennington College in Vermont. Maura says it was there she learned to “see” and ‘listen” abstractly. Before that, Maura studied in NYC with Daniel Green, a well-known portrait artist; total realism, oil paints, “live” models, also, posed as a painter’s model during that period.
Maura owned Embellishments, a business created from being inspired by a small Indian mosaic frame found in the gift shop of the Jacksonville Museum of Art for 12 years. Now photography has become her salvation.
View more of Maura’s photography at JPG Magazine.