Covid-19 has certainly changed many lives around the world. Being in a risk group myself, I’ve stayed close to home, wear my mask while in public, and socially distance when I’m around others. Its pretty hard when you see your daughter for the first time in 4 months because of the lock down (she lives in NYC), and not be able to hug her. Fake hugs only.
As the Covid-19 virus continues to wreck havoc around the world, I felt a need to add another painting to my “The Women Series”. Simply called “Woman - Covid-19”, this painting represents all women who are dealing with the virus in what ever way it has come to them. I believe I had a case of it at the end of February, early March. I suppose I will never know for sure. What I do know for sure is that it is real. Its unbelievable to me that the virus has become such a political football. Too bad our government didn’t respond to the pandemic in a more effective way. The world and this country seem mad (as in insane) sometimes. It makes me sad to think that this is how my senior years will be spent. I was envisioning quite a different scenario full of art engagement and new horizons. I guess the positive that has come out of it is that I’ve painted 4 new works and a block print since the beginning of the year.
In the Woman-Covid-19 painting I only wanted to show a close-up of a woman’s face so I concentrated on just the eyes, nose and mouth and only one side of the face. It started out to be a self portrait, but I didn’t want it to be just about me.
I used scarves, fabric, acrylic paint, beads, mirror tiles, crystals, and a little glitter. The eyelashes are the fringe from the scarf I used to make the eye ball. The mirror tiles make up the iris with a marble for the pupil. I wanted viewers to look into the eye and see themselves, making the portrait their own.
Making the Covid-19 viruses was quite a challenge but fun too. I had to unglue my fingers more than once and believe me that hurt! I finally found some gel type super glue which made it much easier since the gel would stay put and not run all over as I tried to attach the smaller beads to the larger Covid beads.
I hope you all stay safe and healthy during this horrible time. WEAR YOUR MASK!