Calder, 39, says he’s been an artist all his life. He graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a master’s degree in painting in 1990 and is a member of 1708 Gallery. Now he’s framing pictures while he’s in the midst of a career change.

“It’s an interesting social experiment,” he says of his outings. Calder seems to be getting a lot of positive response. He says most people who see him give him a thumbs-up. “I get lots of waves,” he says. Still, Calder says, “many people can’t seem to get their heads around it.” He speculates that some people probably think he’s a jerk; others seem to be relieved that he’s not someone in need. “It’s the madness of art,” he says. “It’s not all explainable.” — Stephen Salpukas