what art represents, meaning, inspiration

I am trying to find something to do and a routine for my new reality of being sequestered during the coronavirus. I have been inside for 30 days now. I've managed to make a routine, organize myself and paint almost daily.

My studio has taken on a cleaner neater look. I have made new 'resolutions' for myself, knowing that these thoughts have come from being secluded. I have heard that we will not be the same after this event, and I can see a part of that springing up within me.

I also understand, from my experience as a hospice volunteer that we are all going through a grieving process. No one can read or listen to the news today without becoming a part of it. We are all grieving. There are five stages to the process of grieving. The stages are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Not all people go through all of the stages and they may not go in the order presented above. Can you recognize within yourself what stages of grief you have passed through this last month?

My denial stage was when the news told me so many people were dying. Is this a hoax? I felt angry that I had to be locked in my house with my husband. We had to learn how to live 'that way'. I saw myself bargaining with God, with myself, with life. I begged, please don't let me get sick. My depression was slight, and I may have gone back into denial again. Now, as I write about it, I feel the definite ache in my heart, a distinct heaviness. I am sad. I moved into acceptance as I found my way to a new routine. A routine that is established, but needs more tweaking.

How can I write with this sadness around me?

April came, and I wondered when I would be ready to write my newsletter. Briefly, my life included exercise, art education, meals, and painting.

My first painting was a self-portrait, which I will unveil next month.

Before the isolation, I sold two paintings, which is great news, but how could I write about that in the midst of a pandemic?

I painted. Waterfall and rocks. Then on a walk one day, I thought about the painting and I asked why paint that?

Art is representational. It represents something giving the content an identity. Paintings can represent society changes, beauty, way of life and many other things. I thought of painting the masked doctors and the sick, instead I painted a waterfall.

The rocks are very large and firm. To me they represent all of humanity holding firm, in stillness waiting. We are all in this place of not moving.

I saw the water as the virus, moving through society and 'washing' over some of the rocks (humanity) and into a large pool of water at the bottom, where we may find peace again. I felt the peace is hopeful, but unsure.
The large evergreen tree is blocking my eye from coming into the painting on the left.

I enter the top center of the painting after examining the falls and rocks. I see the light green trees first. Our eyes always go to the area of greatest contrast first. That line of trees is hope. They are a different kind of hope than the peaceful pool of water. Those trees have a different kind of brightness; can you feel/see what I am saying?

The farthest passage in the distance is very soft, but discernible. If you look carefully, some of the tress are just forms without detail. This is our near future. We can see it and we can't. The next painting, I created after the waterfall and rocks, contained bright colors and life. If this is any indication of what is coming next for us, I am all for it!

One more thought about this time we are experiencing. This will not last. Changes will come from it. It is a precious time to be conscious of ourselves. It is not often in life we are forced to reflect, to sit quiet and be alone. It is a time of great opportunity; I suggest we make the very best use of this time. There is a reason we are here.