Here in Hawaii we are in day 55 of quarantine.
It’s been a crazy last couple of months filled with anxiety and uncertainty about the future for everyone. I have so much to be thankful for. I have a roof over my head, food in the fridge, a partner who loves me and the support of a network of family and friends who care about my happiness and success. Even with all of these advantages that I know many others do not enjoy, this period has been tough.
At day 55 Mitch and I have adjusted to our new normal, but the first weeks were filled with anxiety as I watched everything I took for granted on a daily basis change. I felt isolated despite the mountain of virtual communication and support I was receiving from friends and family. Somehow the messages coming in felt more like a burden than anything else. When I feel myself slipping into an emotionally distant and dark place I find it hard to bring myself to interact with those I care about. I am afraid that they will ask me how I am doing which will present me with a terrible choice. Do I lie and cover up my pain, or tell the truth and watch as they struggle to comfort me from afar. Even as I crave their comfort, I shrink away from those who want to help.
Considering the magnitude of this situation, I knew that all of my friends and family were probably feeling the same way that I was. I wanted to do something for them that didn’t feel like checking in or asking questions. I wanted to do something that would bring a smile to their faces and make them forget about the new normal we are all coping with.
Flashback to a few months ago when I was still employed and had no idea of the pandemic looming in the future. I came across a pack of old plastic slide mounts being thrown away at work. They were the kind I have only seen used in a real life classroom once by an elderly art history professor. It struck me then that they looked a lot like very small matting frames for art. I took them home, placed them on my desk and promptly forgot about them.
Flash-forward to two weeks into quarantine. I was sitting at my desk, wondering what to do and suddenly I noticed the plastic slide mounts . I decided then that I would make miniature portraits to fit into these 1” x 1.5” frames. I began asking my friends and family members for photos of their pets.
I was pleased with the paintings and their frames, but realized they needed something more if I was going to send them out since the slide mounts didn’t have nice edges and once open, didn’t remain closed. I searched around on Amazon for frames, but quickly realized that I would need to make my own because these portraits were simply too small. After watching a video on how to make dollhouse picture frames I began furiously cutting and glueing popsicle sticks together so that I could slide my miniature paintings in them. Voila! I had an army of miniature framed paintings ready to be mailed to my friends and family across the country.
In the following weeks I received many texts and calls from friends and family. The best part about these texts and calls were that they had nothing to do with the virus. They were just about joy, family and friendship.
This was my small effort to use art to bring a little joy to a world turned upside down. I hope that you all are safe and happy!
