My art is largely imaginative or observational. But during this unusual year, with the pandemic, the wildfires, the political unrest, and the divisive election, it was hard not to be influenced by what was going on. and want to create a visual statement.
In the summer, I made a small collage that captured the wild fires that were raging in the West. As a base image, I found a picture from a 1970 issue of LIFE magazine on the environment. (Fires are not new!) Although my initial intention was not to make any commentary on the pandemic in this collage, my image of the door with the shattered glass and the frightened face peering through it suggested to one viewer the rage we were feeling at being so shut in. So, I will leave viewers to interpret this collage as they wish. That is the beauty of art.
As the coronavirus pandemic persisted throughout the fall, I collected text and images about what was happening. I have not previously used text in many of my collages, but here it felt crucial as the news played such an important part in our understanding of events and of the science behind the virus. In particular, there were phrases we heard over an over again that serve as emblems of this challenging time. My favorite image on this piece and the one that stands out and draws us in is the large blue-gloved hand. with its splayed fingers.
Finally, as 2020 drew to a close, my mind swimming with all that had happened, I wanted to capture the essence of that year in one image. Thus, I created “2020 What Was and What Will Be,” with the knowledge that although the actual year was behind us, the events that occurred were not over and their ramifications would be with us for awhile, perhaps forever. I also wanted to acknowledge a few key figures, including two giants we lost this year—John Lewis and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Finally, I also wanted to take a more upbeat view of things. To that end, I created a collage called “Cozy at Home” that I used as my holiday greeting to friends and family. Having spent more hours at home this past year than ever before, I came to appreciate that space (and sometimes lack of it!) in a new way.
