When I started doing these little Coronavirus interviews with artists back at the end of March, things were bad. We were all quarantining, losing jobs, losing loved ones. Everything was strange and scary. We were frozen in place. Unable to move. It was bad. Well, it's July now and everything is much worse! I sent Jennifer Korsen the interview questions in April, she answered them in May. Then inertia, depression and I have just sat on them since. So, think of the following as a snapshot, a time capsule or a mere curiosity. But having Jennifer as a friend during the apocalypse has been of some comfort to me. So, here's a disjointed conversation between a couple friends just trying to get through it.
How are you feeling?
I feel pretty good. I’m about 3 weeks late filling this out so now that the panic has subsided a little I'm finding routine and trying to figure out how to navigate life after this.
Were you able to quarantine in the studio? How long has it
been?
I’m away from my studio but I have some art supplies. It’s actually been kinda nice to have limited access, forces creativity and eliminates me deciding between 50 mediums how I want to express something.
When did it hit you how serious this was?
March 21, driving down the 5 freeway with almost zero cars and seeing those signs on the freeway for the first time that said to wash your hands and stay home and all that. It was apocalyptic, Ill never forget that.
Have you had cancelled/postponed exhibitions as a result?
I have artwork currently locked in at La Luz De Jesus, The Hive, Echoes, Silverlake coffee, and I think one more place I can’t remember right now, lol. Had some live painting, speaking engagements, and a school mural project postponed or cancelled, I'm not even sure which at this point.
What have you been doing with the downtime? Are you able to
make art right now?
I didn't do anything creative for the first 2 or 3 weeks, it just felt like one long weird, panicky day. An artist friend of mine (PS it’s you, Keith.) invited me to draw on zoom and it kind of stoked the fire back up. I've been painting and playing the Omnichord, doing yoga, going for walks, basically all the things that have been new year’s resolutions were actually pandemic resolutions and I’m currently killing it. Also interspersed with moments of dread and panic just to keep it interesting.
Are you finding any inspiration in this mess?
I actually am, I know this sounds weird, but I tend to be calm in moments of panic and chaos. It’s totally a PTSD response but it kind of feels like the world caught up to the way I feel a lot of the time. I’ve been doing a lot of art with no objective and getting into some abstracted stuff I call micro/macro. I'm also making some resin stuff with things I find on the beach, kind of sentimental weird stuff. I think a lady may have thought I needed help while I was combing through handfuls of sand to find tiny white rocks. I feel like this time has been a good reset for me and in the long run, I will be grateful to have been forced to slow down. I also think (hope) I hit peak anxiety during this and I survived it so that's kind of nice as well. Really making an active effort to be mindful and focus on what I can control.
What has been the most challenging part of this for you?
Losing work, cancelled projects, uncertainty about the future, basically everything I didn’t mention above. I hate going to the grocery store, seeing lines and people in masks is really disturbing and makes it hit home. It feels like a movie.
What are some of your coping mechanisms?
Painting, walking, talking to friends, yoga, Omnichord.
What's the thing/place you wish you could do/go but can't
right now?
I wish I could road trip up to Portland. I do almost every year. I also had plans to go to Colorado in September and I kind of doubt that will happen now.
Done any binge watching, book reading, game playing?
I’ve watched every offshoot of 90 Day Fiancé, lots of ghost and paranormal stuff, Tiger King, I’m Not Ok with This, mostly stuff i can have on in the background.
Favorite work of art in Los Angeles?
I feel like the entire city of LA is a collaborative work of art, like a performance piece.
What song is stuck in your head right now (commercial
jingles totally count)
I didn’t have one until reading that and what popped up is commercial from the 80's that goes "hello mother, hello father, April freshness, not a bother, just one problem, it’s my laundry, oh dear mom and dad I think I’m in a quandary." I’ve had that in the back of my head for 30+ years.
Favorite brand of toilet paper and where do you find it?
Costco brand. Charmin if I’m feeling fancy.
If you could hoard one food item, what would it be?
Artichokes, Numero Uno pizza, matzah ball soup. I need 3 food items and some yuzu chili sauce from Trader Joes.
Do you know anyone personally who has contracted the virus?
A few people but they are ok. Some family members and friends of friends have passed, and it really blows my mind how some people think its fake and overblown or aren't willing to take precautions to protect others. It makes me really sad for all of us.
How do you think this all ends?
Maybe it goes away like a miracle, maybe we have a civil war, maybe we have a massive social and financial restructuring, maybe we learn compassion and realize we are all connected and do better moving forward. Or maybe it doesn’t, and we just live like this shutting down every few months forever. I will say though, I'm super grateful for Facebook memories right now, it makes me feel like, at least I did a lot of cool stuff before this and went after my dreams. As cheesy as that sounds, seeing it gives me confidence that I’ll be able to adapt moving forward, however it goes.
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