I have been spending time outside, sometimes hiking in beautiful settings. I consider myself very fortunate to be able to do this as I know there are many people suffering in cramped and crowded places. It is important to take time to focus on yourself especially with what is going on around us.

I painted “Lockdown” at the beginning of March when we had to self-quarantine. It reminded me that when I was young, when I was scared, I would put my hands to my eyes, partially obscuring my vision so that I would not be overwhelmed. Much has happened during the last few months. I continue to watch and witness, even if I am looking through my fingers. From a deadly virus sweeping through our world to a unending flow of racism that has been a consistent major issue, that has still yet to be fully addressed by our government and society as a whole.

On some days my personal view point or mood coincides with where I think we all are with the pandemic. Our daily routines have been upended and I have fear for the future. There is so much uncertainty but we all have to walk through it.

I put in an order for some more paints and in the meantime I am experimenting with some new colors. While listening to music I fell into a rhythm using different found materials for texture. I found this experience to be quite relaxing. The surprise of this days work was creating a new hue of green I have not used before.

Its been challenging to find a rhythm in terms of making art. Other activities have felt easier to do during this time. However, I have found that feeling uninspired is not a permanent state. And that’s the good news for today!

Here we are in spring. The birds are singing and the flowers are starting to push through the frozen soil. I have been doing a lot of walking in the woods and appreciating all of the nature around me. (Pictured above: Birds on a Wire)

This piece is called The Dancers and is mixed media on panel. It was done at a time when things didn’t feel so uncertain. I hope the color boosts your spirits.

Finally back in the studio after 3 weeks away, picking up on a piece I was working on before I left for Costa Rica. The piece was originally black and white but I was in the mood for some more color.

Times have been different as of late but here’s some light in the dark. About 3 weeks ago I was in Costa Rica on the coast in a little beach town called Samara. It was dusty and hot but we were fortunate enough to view some local art and be enthralled by the beautiful colors the country has to offer. I was drawn to the pure blues that surrounded me. From the blue walls in the heath food store to the waves crashing on the shores of the beaches I walked.

2.26.20

Currently coming up with ideas for work to be shown towards the end of the year. Using different medias, memories of the past in New York City come to mind. I have always been intrigued by the lives of others in the city and how they made the best of their circumstances. Both my father and grandmother lived in tenement buildings, my father on the lower East Side and my grandmother in Brooklyn. Each of them was an immigrant hoping to make a better life for themselves in NYC.