I am not sure how to start telling you all that's on my mind about art and the "Art of Quarantining".... What I am sure of is planning a raging bonfire in our fire pit.  To the fire I will happily be adding one of two pair of yoga pants, my husbands sweats, and a pullover t-shirt that used to say something about how being happy no matter what is a choice and a state of mind...

 

We have a poster boy for surly behavior on our street that is always simmering with nasty sullen anger and ready with a rude snarl. He used to be a 36 year old man in the prime of his life.  Yesterday I saw him out walking.  He still had on a pair of red pants  that were a little worse for wear since I saw him last on March 15.  And he was dragging his left foot sort of...as I approached him in my car and rolled down the window I was already dreading the interaction. "Do you need help with anything, could I offer you a ride I said through my mask"  the response was "How would you know?" His eyes were bloody red, brows knitted, downturned mouth with a bits of slobber and bubbles. He snarled as he waved me off and uttered a few explicative. In my rear view mirror I saw he was angrily mansplaining something to the weeds along the side of the road.  He looked 103 years old as he flung off his knit hat and tried to stomp on it with his one good leg.

 

He used to be an artist of note. But then again so did I. We all have the window of change ready at our fingertips. My observation is in the form of a question. "How is it that some artists have done OK and used the downtime in quarantine to explore different subjects and mediums in their artwork, and some have sat in a chair in a darkened corner of the studio and become rigid, rabid, vacant creatures of the forest?" 

 

I think we can blame the grocery store for being out of Lysol, my favorite flavor of ice cream, and the art store for being closed.  One day I went to press my nose against the glass at my local art store. There at about 5 foot 6 inches was a collection of handprints and below that nose prints from at least a thousand people. I envisioned a large pack of zombies all dragging to the art store in desperate need of vine charcoal, Liquin, just a couple of canvasses, some Titanium White paint and a 'good' eraser.....

 

I have spent more time in studio reading, researching, teaching myself new skills, and really enjoying my time in quarantine. I have decided maybe I should try something new for a subject.  I have been creating landscapes.  Wonder why I didn't try this earlier, lots of fun, very forgiving, and you can sit outside in a big hat with a cool beverage. 

 

For my husband and me we talked about how quarantine hasn't been that different for us.  We are homebodies that like to cook, enjoy each other's company, like to read, have a great den that houses two couches and a large TV. All the fam, (two calico cats that sleep 23 hours at a stretch and an older dog)  gather in the evening to stream entire series on TV, to read, surf the net, have snacks, and catch up on the day. Yes we really miss going to favorite restaurants and going out to sample a cocktail here and there, but taking this break hasn't been that hard. 

 

All I can say is that we must be brave and smart when we do decide to venture out. We also  must have something on the calendar in the future to look forward to even if it is just buying that vine charcoal at the art store.  My advice is go against the grain and plan a road trip. Go see a favorite artist in their studio in Santa Fe.  Hop on a train and go from one tiny town to another.  Set yourself up for adventure. We all need to remember what our freedoms used to look like........and go be like that. It's important to remember our wonderful selves and what all we still have to be thankful for.