I was at a boarding school in Rome for a year, and it felt like an escape, i made great friends and lived freely (in color) but the virus meant i was to come home to Dubai, where my family lives. It just hurts to be back to this place i was so desperate to leave, its like i barely got a taste of freedom, and i'll never see it again. (or at least until i leave for university in 2 years).

As a non-binary identifying person, my gender expression can change over the course of a day. This affects me every single day of my life. I still go through the constant battle between how I grew up, with a family that only believes in two genders and heterosexual marriage. But now I know that I never had to choose, that there aren’t only two genders, and that nobody’s opinion but my own matters.

Being in quarentine made me discover the window I had to self-reflect and flourish. It was within me all along.

My workspace, Pre & Post Quarantine.

FYI: This image can be seen in better detail with close-ups here: https://ainsleyknott.com/pre-post-quarantina-diptych/ QUARANTINA - I had an idea for a message I wanted to convey with these two images. During quarantine a lot of people have been learning to appreciate what we once took for granted. In the pre-quarantine half, the girl (Quarantina) is seen relaxing in nature on a sunny day. However, she’s ignoring the natural wonders of her surroundings and choosing instead to be absorbed in her mobile phone. In the post-quarantine side, she is seen on her bed with the window wide open, blasting through sunlight. On her bed she is obsessively drawing scenes of nature which is symbolic of her realising how much she misses the ability to be outside and now appreciates what she once took for granted. Thank you for viewing!

I miss my BFF. We live far apart, and I didn't visit her nearly enough before the quarantine. Now, there's no choice but the screen.

Growth is still happening in lock down but with a lot less colour

We used to have Starbucks, but then the Starbucks in our town closed and one day my mom came home with Starbucks and it was beautiful. Now I have to drink homemade coffee, all alone.

Before time was usually just passing you by, being busy, stressed, tired, getting upset, emotions were towards the negative and hardly hard time for personal choices. It was always about making money. After the Quarantine, I feel that I am more relaxed, time to self-care, experiment with my hands through cooking, learn a new skill, stay connected, be with my loved ones and return to my childhood where I can play all day again.

The Stay-at-Home order has really been hard on the cat. Unsure of how well she is coping. We don't talk about it much.

My Picture shows how everyone used to be able to stand up close but now all we can do is watch TV and eat.

The drawing on the left is how we are now: protected and secluded from others. The drawing on the right is how we'll be once this is over: embracing one another without fear. We won't need our gloves or our masks when this is all over I guess.

Everbody has been facing difficulties since quarantine started including myself, but when I was asked to draw something related to what we are going through, I just preferred looking at the bright side which to me was how full of life my place is right now. Also the small skills i have been wanting to learn for so long but never put time for, such as my inspiration (Rubik's Cube) besides the pile of books i have finally read and rearranging my desk. Also i knew more about things I need to develop in drawing.

When schedules messed up and the journey of life got distorted :)

A slightly overdramatic and fatalistic look at the perception of work and life before and during the bizarre times of Covid19.

The visible change that I've noticed pre/post quarantine is that there are WAY more birds now. They're taking over the planet, there's no stopping them, so confess your sins to Big Bird if you want to be spared. *my prayer to Big Bird: Dear Lord Big Bird, please forgive me for I have sinned. I ate chicken often and sipped gravy which consisted of boiled bird parts. If you spare me, I promise that I will live a life of selfless servitude in humble acceptance of your supreme bird law. -Jeffrey

It seems that every quarantine day is now a crazy hair day... (or we just don’t have the energy to put effort into the stringy mess on top of our heads ;)

This is a diptych of MY quarantine....well before quarantine (during my exams) I was TOTALLY stressed and tensed 'cause of my exams but after the school closed (which was due to the virus) I had a real benefit because I overcame that stress and got a quality time to spend on my art which was really calming (for me).... Hope you like it:)

Before: The self-awareness of own skills and competencies in the known world; After: to afford the luxury of uncertainty and re-construction

I love stargazing and to do it outdoors. But at the current times, it is no longer possible to do it outside. Now, I do it through a window. But the stars are still there, waiting for us.

Everyday seems to be the same, as if we're frozen in time. I believed it was Tuesday for three days in a row...

There was a time when life was fun, free, and there was happiness. And then there was COVID-19. Separation. Suspicion. Distrust. Distance. Masks... I long for the old days.

My pre-pandemic life was sun, sea and sand in Australia. Since returning to my home country it’s been non-stop scrolling and pyjamas.

Freedom to Quarantine

Before quarantine I was in a sea of cubicles, drowning in alcohol. Now that I work from home I can enjoy the outdoors, creating, and sobriety.

My past times and habits (such as watching Netflix) are the same, just slightly altered due to the surrounding conditions

Although it´s a difficult time, staying in Quaratine and not seeing friends and the older family members as grandparents, we as a small family are keeping together stronger and are enjoying beeing so close together. Although sometimes it´s getting a bit crazy ... and the hair is growing!

My diptych is to magnify my remote learning experience through ZOOM. Because of the quarantine, every school seems to have temporarily switched to online education. As you can see, a sleeping laptop on the left side of my diptych, compared to the other side, on the right, a running one that has full of chaotic activities exploding around it. The craziness in my life now mostly comes from my screen. It's been a hectic couple of months.

This Quarantine is challenging , at times very challenging!!!! but at the same time it is offering us space and time to relook at our life with fresh pair of eyes!

Covid World 19 Nineteen years from now 7 ft "global distancing"; 14 people allowed in public establishment at a time Facemasks issued by World Health Organization Pollution is down 75%, but our hearts are bleak. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Got inspired to create a webcomic of the same Title (in progress).

Lost in the hustle bustle of the daily routine , things going on and on and trying to remain on the top while getting everything in line but having no control on time as it passes like waves in the ocean and then getting all the thoughts of the day passed at night. But then quarantine changes everything over and you've got no hustle and bustle of the daily routine and it feels like that the time has stopped by and is taking over you, so you feel like getting caught up in the middle of it all and you start trying to remember about the person you actually were and the thoughts become dominant so you feel like a lost echo in space which comes and goes in waves.

Before quarantine, I used to bring a small shopping cart with me when doing grocery shopping - once every two weeks, now after quarantine, I bring the luggage instead and do shopping once every three weeks ....

"Isolation"

Day 30++ lockdown: An expression of what I'm feeling (and missing) during this lockdown period, in Lego form. Yes, I have now turned to legos to fill up my time.

I am actually a Covid patient. I was enjoying my life as this year was nothing but great to me. Spending time with my loved ones, reading books on Sundays etc. Then at the end of March, I became very sick. I had to spent 30hours on the ER floor, as there were no available beds (it was the beginning of this pandemic in Madrid and we were too many in need of medical attention). When I was actually given a bed, I was in a room with ten another patients and four nurses 24/7. I was lucky to get stable enough after a week and continue my treatment at home (I am currently still on a sick leave). The most important thing that I want to say about this, is that everyone was wonderful. Patients were trying to help each other and health workers were not stopping for a minute. Doctors are incredible and hard working, but for me the biggest heroes were the nurses. They had a lot of work with us and they were nothing but wonderful even though they had to wear the crazy yellow spacesuit. That is why I chose to do the after drawing about them and how I remember them. I feel very fortunate to have gotten better thanks to their hard work and the support from my family and friends. We applaud in Spain every day at 20h, to show support and I am very happy to be applauding at my home these days. Stay safe, stay at home.

Pre-pandemic-fast food, no time to eat together. Post pandemic-relax, cook and spend time together around the dinner table.

From traveling through a grey winter into the home office spring.

Mixed media on A3. This is maybe stretching the idea of diptych slightly, but it is what the prompt inspired me to do. It depicts the last six months of my life. I broke up with my partner of two years in late November. After some very quiet months mainly by myself, I was hoping to become more active in the spring again... oh well.

The right side of the drawing is pre quarantine and the left is post. The right side represents people being outside and having fun(riding the rollercoaster) while causing pollution (dark sky). The left side represents people not being able to go outside and have fun but has clear skies and lots of greenery.

Pre- We were aware of these beautiful ideas in the background. Post- We have time to understand and appreciate them.

The Hairy Tale. Since everyone is sailing in the same boat, wanted to stay away from topics of food, daily struggles etc. This is a light humorous take at one of the most visible physical changes i experienced.

The corona virus is just one way of nature's comebacks. In fact, lockdown and quarantine is proving to help stop climate change! I think my painting represents the state of the earth after quarantine stops... please vote for me!