COVID-4 ways

OFFICE COMISSION

Edmonton John Howard Society & I had teamed up to finish this One of a kind piece. Once a lost WIP amongst a pile of other incomplete pieces, EJHS had asked for me to shuffle through what’s not done, so we can collaborate on finishing a beautiful 1:1 Art piece. This COVID piece started with the Art collective I’m part of. We each had the theme and wanted to do a fun “Don’t Rush Challenge” to be displayed on an advertisement board via City of Edmonton. As time goes on and life interrupts your painted consciousness, this quickly turned into a WIP (Work in progress). I’m glad EJHS pushes me to finish this as it now has a beautiful home in the office of an amazing organization.

Materials in this piece is Acrylic Paint, Oil paint, apart paint, silver flakes, newspaper and pallet knife.

SQUARE 1- Edmonton during the lockdown. Peaceful, beautiful, pure and untouched. This perspective of the world, Mother Nature taking a breath of fresh air and rejuvenating itself. The beauty within silence is the growth of self. The beauty within growth is the silence and stealth.

SQUARE 2- The same city, the same COVID-19 and the same risks. While some saw the peace in the pandemic others saw the eruption of videos and awareness of the injustices around the world. The need to fight for yours, and your families life in protest when the air you breath can potentially kill you. The tiredness, risk and frustration from having to work and be present through a world disaster. Through this, each moment you looked out the window, all you can see is the virus.

SQUARE 3- Depression is real. Using layered dark tones, the drips signify the melting of your outside world as you start to cancel plans, skipping school, call in sick from work, and not answer your phone calls because you would rather sleep and be alone. It comes in all shapes and sizes. To feeing like you’re not worth another breath. The stigma of talking about Mental Helath can have you feeling like a caged bird. The bird within you wants to sing these songs of freedom but the cage over you is made from doubt, anxiety, embarrassment and a false sense of strength. As people we should work not on decorating our cages but lifting it off our shoulders. Let the little caged bird sing.

SQUARE 4- Using COVID-19 headlines only from the news, I wanted to shed light on the news, the social news and chatter had mentioned how imperative it is to protect those with pre-diagnosed health conditions, your loved ones and seniors. Everybody and anybody can be homeless, I implemented that by using multiple colours on the fingers. 85% of homeless Adults have a chronic heath condition. These souls had to continue to live in fear and jeopardy while the air they breath is toxic and targeting. Coins don’t fix that but change does.