Life During Covid-19

 August 28th, 2020

When shelter-in-place began in March, it was like the beginning of a completely new world, with new rules and new fears. I was lucky enough to work at a place that allowed me to work remotely, spending my days at home learning how to balance home and life when there was no longer a visible separation. My dog probably began worrying that I had lost my job, since she was now seeing me 24/7, but also enjoyed the increase in walks and attention. I picked up a lot of new interests in my spare time, mostly revolving around the kitchen: learning to make my own vanilla extract, almond milk, and yogurt to name a few. In a world where suddenly even essential items were becoming scarce, it felt like a time to become more self-sufficient.

But in the times I wasn’t working or worrying about the future, there was art. In an ever-changing world, this was a constant I’ve always known and could rely on. So long as I had the ability to pick up a pencil or tablet, I could sketch out my stress and passion alike until all that was left was art.

My subject this time was not something I had ever considered before, but when I really looked at it, I was struck by the incredible beauty in its colors and texture. I had never looked at a turkey so closely before, and when I saw the richness of the reds, blues, and yellowish whites across its face, I knew it was my next project. It was challenging, and I definitely thought I might be insane to try and capture the tiniest details of that face, but after 5 months of dedicated color pencil work (with brief breaks in-between to maintain sanity), I finished. I think I may play with watercolors next.