Meet Dr. Lorna Breen. She was in the trenches of the front line inside the New York hot zone during the first wave of the pandemic. She saw the massive influx of patients she knew she could not save (29,000 deaths reported in April, 2020). She contracted the virus and after recuperating, went straight back to work. A week and a half later, the hospital sent her home. Her family intervened to bring her back home to Charlottesville, Virginia. During her visit with her family, she seemed “detached.” She passed away April 26, 2020 at the UVA University Hospital in Charlottesville from self-inflicted wounds.
"She tried to do her job, and it killed her… Make sure she’s praised as a hero. Because she was, she’s a casualty just as much as anyone else who has died."
—Dr. Philip C. Breen, Father
We've all had times when the Coronavirus Quarantine Lockdown Insanity drove us to pour our emotions into our artwork. I mean, that's what we do, as artists! "Pensive Mother" was the first piece, created when I was feeling super low, lonely (despite my husband and daughter being home and well) - and scared for my daughter's (and the world's) future. After posting the image in a few Facebook groups, and people falling in love with her, the next day I created "Joyful Day". It was the emotion created with these pieces that guided their development. And I couldn't have asked for a better result!
I started this with the Doodle Addicts Pre/post quarantine diptych drawing challenge in mind, but I didn't make the deadline (I started it on the day of the deadline, so it was a little ambitious!). The first half of the drawing represents before the corona virus and the second half is after the virus and kind of living with it. No pencil, just straight into the drawing with ink. It's rough, but I like how it turned out and there are some fun characters.
Lockdown makes some of us forget what good times were like before the coronavirus reared it's nasty little head, so in response we dig down into our brains for times that really mattered.
Kicking things off with the new sketchbook! And what a time to do so...
Coronavirus is rampant everywhere it seems, however big or small. If self-isolation (even for just a bit, wherever you are) is the way to combat this then I suggest making the most of this time.
*Captain Obvious groove*
Workers in grocery stores take every precaution to keep themselves and others safe from the coronavirus pandemic. Art presented in pastel drawing. Special thanks to: https://www.revounts.com.au/woolworths-promo-code
3/17/2020 San Francisco. The art studio is closed because of social distancing for the Coronavirus. My teacher sent out a note with a sketch she did and suggested we do a drawing a day during this isolation, to stay calm and creative and maintain our community. A neighbor put out a bucket with free bouquets, and it inspired me to pause while I was getting dinner started and do this instead. Definitely rusty after not being in the studio for two weeks!
Well... My school got closed for 2 weeks due to COVID-19. I think that the virus is a relatively serious thing, but closing schools isn’t going to do anything. The virus will still be there when we come back. I’m glad for the break, but I know I will find myself bored at some point. This means a lot of random paintings and drawings :)
Koala at the zoo. Sketch meetup with my studio art friend Kathy. The zoo may be closing here in a few weeks under the governor's new coronavirus prevention order. That will suck! I take my son every Monday. Our zoo has really beautiful, lush gardens.
The last six months in my life after breaking up with my partner of two years in November. Mixed media on A3. This is also my entry for the Diptych competition.