Musings on My Art Life

My Art Journey in the Time of Covid-19                                    

It has been just over a year since Covid-19 forced us to live in isolation with lockdowns and stay in place measures. Our resilience and resourcefulness as humans have been truly tested. My parents moved our family 9 times. We lived in several states with the last move from Augusta, Maine to Sausalito, California. These moves and major changes in my life have forced me to adjust. I am resilient, but I do not find it easier. Many creatives thrive in solitude and continue to find inspiration in solitude. Others require social interaction with other artists and change in physical surroundings. I am of the latter sort. I feed on direct experience to a place as well as with people. How would I manage a fulfilling art life?  Interconnection is something I took for granted. We are fortunate to have technology in the form of Zoom calls to keep us connected. Galleries, museums, workshops, events have been closed or canceled, but the art world has been able to remain alive in the virtual world. Online art shows, virtual museum tours and Zoom classes have enabled many to continue their art journeys and recalibrate their lives. In order to continue my art journey, I recalibrated my art life by focusing on these 4 elements:

1. What are my priorities?   Painting consistently was and is a main priority. I was paralyzed last March when the reality of lockdown became imminent. Cancelled events were out of my control. I accepted that. What threw me for a loop was the wrench in my painting schedule. I could no longer paint with my fellow artists. I was eventually able to paint in the Plainville, MA studio I share with my business partner, Matt, because my family formed a bubble with Matt and his wife Kathy. But initially, I tried to set up a home studio in my living room. I bought studio lights, a new easel and a tarp to cover the oriental rug. I set up a still life area and began a painting which remains unfinished. Not only did painting alone get old for me, the easel I had bought (shipped from Italy) was not very adjustable and too tall for my living room. It also did not hold my boards securely. I started to lose enthusiasm.  As spring sprung, I started painting en plein air more frequently. As I write, I am painting 6 days a week in the studio.
2. How can I continue to grow artistically? Growth as an artist is always at the forefront of my mind since I made the decision to be a full-time working artist later in life. Painting consistently is vital, but artistic growth requires goals and continued learning. Matt is my mentor and I continue to learn from him, but it was also important for me to attend virtual workshops and read as much as I could about other artists both past and present. I set 2 important goals for 2020: Apply to a Boston gallery and start an art business with Matt. These goals kept my momentum alive.
3. Focus on health. Physical and mental health have been a challenge to most during the pandemic. Add regular life problems, and it can seem impossible to remain positive. I have elderly parents in the Midwest. My father was hospitalized 5 times last year for heart failure, chronic kidney disease, not to mention uncontrolled diabetes. When my family and I drove out to Michigan for 3 weeks to help my parents, I found running and painting quite necessary for me function. I also downloaded a meditation app which I used to fall asleep with as well as during the day as needed for extremely stressful moments. I cannot fall asleep without that app!
4. Surround myself with positive people.  Finally, I endeavor to surround myself, albeit virtually, with positive people. I am grateful for the time I have been given with my family during this pandemic. My husband is a very structured person, and I am not, though I need structure. He goes for a walk at least 3 times a day. I join him on at least one. I am able to leave my house because I work in Plainville with Matt at his and Kathy’s house as well as paint in our studio on an almost daily basis. I have been able to stay on track and achieve both goals I set. Well, sort of. I did not get into the gallery, but that is another story for later! In any case, I remain open to hope. 

Be well. Be safe. Be kind.

Reena