Art I Made in Q2–2021
This was an amazing time of rapid transition for me, from COVID lockdown to first vaccination. I got a one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine in March, so was feeling confident to play outside my “pod” by April.
The transition wasn’t instant, but outdoor playing became much more acceptable, and so I did a lot of work for this (including many smaller pieces not shown here including a new rendition of the crazy croquet game). So most of my art was for outdoor applications or was for a basically intimate audience, such as myself, housemates, or family.
I took some formulas that had been rewarding during lockdown and put them into more time intensive pieces that I expected to last.
Art for My Peeps
The Nicer Chandelier
Spiky Thing in Tree
The 76 for Mom
Outdoor Chair Pair
Cloud Coffee Table One
Skull Tattoo Test
Art for Other People
Albany Bulb
I like the bulb because it’s lawless. It’s an exception to contemporary society but very nearby. The space doesn’t make anyone any money or help them get elected. No one is allowed to live there and no one can buy it. So no one is hired to keep it boring or make us be regular, tidy little consumers. Instead we can do whatever, build whatever, and it’s great. Also it’s a charming peninsula on the bay, with pretty good natural beauty and plenty of trash. And art.
Birds for the Street
Entryway to Awkward Party
The Jolly Dog
The first festival after lockdown. I was definitely in, even though maybe not exactly my vibe and I hadn’t been before. We tried to build an art boat that gave out hotdogs, but instead ran a bustling beach bar. With hot dogs. The Jolly Dog.
So What?
This was some good art in a heady time. Vaccination was a huge transition and the main art at this time was just to have a gathering at all! I remember thinking that May was the best month of my entire life, and then realizing that June was maybe even better.
I like the work I did during this time and recognize that most of it was wood! This makes sense, because I had been working in wood before and, while wood prices were still very high (they shot up during the first year of COVID), I had plenty to reuse.
Compared to most people, I came out of lockdown strong, with better physical, mental, and financial health than most. We found people who were very excited to join up for projects and make some fun happen. I know that many people had a harder time coming back from lockdown, but I was chomping at the bit and had the free time, especially as work went slack during this period as I fell out of favor and was not included in many projects. It all turned out well and the next quarter was very good too.