Self-Isolation 3 Weeks and Counting…
2020 started off so amazing, along with the preparation for my first art exhibit Bottled Feelings, I also started some commissions with some dream clients, HGTV, and Sephora Canada. February 2020 will always be a glorious moment in time where I was able to take my lettering beyond paper, into a physical place, a gallery, and my lettering created conversations between people and helped others unburden their feelings. Its hard to believe a month later we would all be confined to our homes, and as it seems for now, for an unknown amount of time.
Let’s Look At The Big Picture…
This is a world wide pandemic, this moment in our lives will go down in history and will change healthcare, travelling, border security, how we interact as a society and teach us all what is important. You may be finding it difficult to stay inside, let me guess, you’re bored? Think about all the doctors/nurses/healthcare workers that are working overtime to take care of those who have contracted the virus, think of the patients themselves who are in self isolation in the hospitals, often dying alone as family can’t visit at all, think of the employees in the grocery stores, who thankfully have work, but dealing with crowds of panic pandemic shoppers, I am sure they would trade places with us, who have to stay home but still have the luxury of our own homes and our amenities like Netflix, internet, and for me paper/pen and my iPad Pro.
Will This Lettering Studio Survive? Good Question…
I am thankful for so many things…
All of my family members are safe and healthy and taking this self-isolation period seriously.
Because I always wanted to be at Melody’s beck and call, I never pursued a studio outside of my home, and this has been a blessing in disguise. My heart really goes out to all the small business who still have to pay rent on top of regular life expenses during this period of economic distress. For me its really easy to scale back, and the burden is lighter as I have always worked from home. Throughout the years its always been on my To-Do list to find a studio space, but in this moment, I am thankful it didn’t happen.
Time…with this extra time i’ve been gifted, I have started exercising, not having any further excuses of having “no time”. I realize that excercise is yet another discipline that I am NOT good at and lack of time and work has always been my excuse… with NO work, and an abundance of time, I cannot find a better moment to become disciplined in this area of my life. Let’s see how that works out…
Creativity. I thank my lucky stars that I was gifted this need to create. I heard this quote that I say often: “Only boring people get bored” doesn’t this make so much sense? My mind and imagination has no limits, its adventurous, its full of ideas and things to letter/draw/make but sometimes you need a WHY…. why are we making? Who is it for? For me I always need a purpose beyond just the making. My current creative journey is my #selfisolettering challenge. It’s a series of 26 letters to document my life during this historical moment in time, a creative diary. When I look back, I will know what I spent my time on… will you? Here is the first 2 letters in the series, follow along on my Instagram to see more…
Feel free to use and share these badges of self-isolation, just tag me and then I know we are all in this together and doing the same thing =)
A is for Art, without it for sure life would be miserable…
B is for Books, self isolation has given me time to read again…
We Will Survive….
I hope that Love Lettering can continue to thrive after this pandemic, I grew this little studio from the ground up with nothing… my belief and heart tells me that if I continue to create and show my best work and who I am as an artist and human, things should fall into place. The only predictions that are palpable are the ones we create for ourselves.
In the meantime, stay well, stay safe and stay home!