Pandemic Drawings

In Brooklyn, the city shut down all offices and public spaces for over 8 months.  This included my studio space which houses over 90 artists.  We were asked to stay home and only go out twice a week and the shock and anxiety of that time made hibernating feel right.

I set up a work space at home, but couldn’t do much for a while.  When I did start to feel the “itch” to make things again, what came out was subdued and as inward-turned as we were in daily life.  I kept three drawings (others were discarded or left unfinished).

“Pandemic Drawing: Kitsune”  11 x 22″  Ink on antique ledger paper (India), mounted on Arche paper.   Kitsune is a Japanese craft that repairs cracked and broken ceramics using gold… Instead of concealing the flaw, Kitsune celebrates it.

In this drawing I’m indulging my optimism, hoping the the cracks in our life, and sense of safety will be repaired, bringing more… gold, resiliance, strength.

“Pandemic Drawing: Underground” Ink on mounted antique ledger paper (India) with Japanese Chiyogami paper collage.

This drawing voices life in isolation… under, between the strong black strokes, little flowers pinwheel and delicate white lines, almost spider webbing, grows.

“Pandemic Drawing: Bones” Still in process.  Ink on antique ledger paper (India) with mouse and shrew bones (harvested from owl pellets).