Artists and COVID-19



The COVID-19 pandemic has been especially devastating to the artist community.  As news traveled around the world, galleries started shutting down and moving online.  While many of us were in shock the first few weeks, galleries were taking unprecedented steps on a daily basis since March 3, 2020 to stay ahead of the situation. 

Businesses like Google stepped up and took leadership in helping bring famous museums right into our homes.  Why, even the head of security at the Picasso Museum in Barcelona stepped up to help by videotaping the collection so a virtual tour could make it available to the world at large!   Virtual exhibitions for “Art in Isolation” helped artists showcase their work from North Dakota to Saudi Arabia.

Several resources to artists were generously made available through National Endowment of Arts.  Emergency Grants were made available almost immediately to help artists cope with COVID -19.  Adobe, Americans for The Arts and Cue Arts Foundation offer additional resources for artists.  However, for the 2.1 million artists in the US, this may not be enough.  The median wage for an artist, which is around $43,000 in the US, is slightly higher than that of the general population.  This puts a majority of the artists in a scenario where, if they do not have a significant other sharing their daily expenses, they are prone to living paycheck to paycheck.  Is it any surprise that there are protests across the country to reopen the economy?  Working from home is a luxury for less than 10% of the US population.  This brings us to former presidential candidate Andrew Yang’s idea for universal basic income.  Of all the ideas out there, this one makes the most sense to my analytical mind to subvert what is a very grim prediction for the winter of 2020.  It is a given that without contact tracing and adequate testing, the spread of the virus is a certainty.  The leadership has to make recommendations based on evidence, and perhaps take a controversial stance to subvert disaster. 

While everything that is mentioned about median wages applies to the general population, I wanted to focus on artists. As soon as I posted the question “How has COVID-19 affected you as an artist?”, responses started coming in.  Here are a few:

“It has affected me financially but I have enjoyed all the time to work in my own projects. I’m getting a lot done but no income. I may have to close Olde masters when my lease ends in September.”

“The pandemic has been a double edged sword for me.  On the one hand, I have more time at home to draw and paint, as well as take my online classes.  On the other hand, my job is demanding online, and the uncertainty of the situation makes it hard to focus.  I have been using my art time to make dog portraits for my family and friends.  It raises their spirits and lets me help people I care about through this difficult time in some small way.”

“I began seriously working and exhibiting my work as a full time artist a year and a half ago.  I was so excited to see what 2020 would bring.  Almost all of the artwork I sold was because I was physically at the ARTery gallery, or the Village Artisans, meeting and engaging with my customers.” 

“The COVID-19 virus had an unsettling affect at the start.  I had loads of time to paint, but found it very difficult to get inspired.  I couldn’t get anything started let alone finished.  I felt drained and fatigued.  All I could concentrate on was the news.  As time went on, I found solace in doing artwork.  If I couldn’t control what was happening in the world, I could control what was happening in my little world!”

“It had a positive effect on my art. I work full time and travel so it was hard to find time to paint. With COVID I got to work from home and gain back the 2 1/2 hours I usually drive every day. I got to experiment lots of new things and felt my art take a fresh direction. It didn’t change what I paint. I didn’t suddenly start painting toilet paper.”

“I was at a loss at first. I’ve been a watercolor artist for 35 years. I just couldn’t get a painting going so I decided to try something new.”

“I had two commissions I was working on at the beginning of the COVID panic. I was afraid they would cancel since I sometimes take payment later in the process. But everyone has been very wonderful! I have more commissions now all at once.”

As for me, it has helped me focus on getting my art website spruced up and in this way made me super productive during the time of quarantine.

And, the work goes on!

As always, be curious and create!

Hyacinth

https://www.hyacinthpaulart.com/works

 

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