Art in the Time of Coronavirus

Time, Charcoal on Paper, 24"x18"

Art in the Time of Coronavirus

Like many of you, we have been encouraged to stay home. So I am using some of that time to focus on my art, spending valuable time in the studio. Since there is no commercial pressure right now, I am taking this time to think about themes, personal symbols, new techniques, etc. Since I am also coming off two years of personal (family) up-heaval, this seems an especially apt time to think about my artistic direction and personal expression.

Since my art has been on hiatus for a while, I thought I would start with loose charcoal sketches to create visual interpretations of broad concepts. This piece is about time. I like clocks and watches, as well as the time elements associated with the sun, moon and stars (our celestial time keepers.) Losing my parents has forced me to acknowledge the passage of time and my elevation to the elder generation.

My goal is to use this drawing (as well as others to come) as a jumping off point for some similarly-themed paintings. I have a rough value sketch here, as well as some ideas for division of space.  I plan to use the techniques I have learned in various workshops over the last five years, including abstraction and mixed media techniques to create my own unique take on a variety of topics.