Art in the Pandemic

The last couple of months have been rather hectic for art students everywhere. From closed studios to cancelled degree shows, it's been a challenging time for us all. However, there is lots to be learnt from these strange times, a few of which I have reflected on here;

1. Studios

The first, and perhaps most obvious thing the pandemic has made us all realise is how lucky we are to have the studio spaces that we do. Many of us have created works in these studios which could not have been made at home. For example, my most recent project was a 140 x 250 cm canvas painting, which would physically not have fitted in my dinky student room. In the weeks leading up to the lock-down, the studios were a second home for me, as I spent so much time there working on my painting. Having this big open space to escape to and spend time painting in is something I learnt not to take for granted, and something I will miss very much now that my time at University has come to an end. In the mean time, while I may not have as much room at home, it has still been fun to make use of the space available to create new work!

2. Making Art

Degree show is a big part of the experience of being an art student; it's something we've all been looking forward to since first year. I spent a lot of time, hard work and money on the creation of a final piece to exhibit at degree show, and finding out that it could no longer take place was quite disheartening. However, this has been a valuable opportunity to re-evaluate who my work is for. Of course, I would still have loved to share my work with family and friends, but this project became more personal when the prospect of an exhibition was removed. My attitude towards my work has changed to become more positive, as I have learnt to be less critical of my work, and appreciate the process of making. It is important to take a step back sometimes and remember what your art practice is about. I did not come to University to study art so that I could get the best grade, or become a famous artist - I chose to study art because it is something I love and get a lot of enjoyment from doing.

3. Time

After realising that the covid-19 situation was escalating and that the University would soon have to close, I changed my time commitment to my degree show piece. Unfortunately I was not able to take this work home with me to finish, so the race was on to complete as much as possible before lock-down. I had planned to finish the painting by 25th April (the submission date was 30th April), but instead had to finish painting on 23rd March, over a month early. This was by no means easy, and required me to put all my other University studies on hold (including my Psychology dissertation). I spent every day I could working long hours in the studio, and consequently developed a new relationship with the work. Instead of just being a part of my degree, this painting became so much more. I have never dedicated so much time and effort to a single artwork before, which makes this work feel particularly special to me. Unfortunately it was simply not possible to add all the final details, but I am proud of the work I have created, in these challenging times. I think there is definitely a lesson to be learnt here about how we cannot plan a painting, just as we cannot plan for most things in life. Often the very best things in art, just as in life, are not planned at all.