Koronanomics with Alex Schaefer

Alex Schaefer is a painter's painter, restlessly, relentlessly pushing paint around. The number of canvasses he's produced must number in the thousands. He's a teacher and a student.Often delving into color theory, tackling master copies and contemporizing classical themes. Recently he did a series of mosh pit/ mob scenes in which the flailing action of the bodies blurred into disparate tonal abstractions. One reminded me of an x-ray or if you could zoom out of a Rothenberg and see something other than a horse. Whenever I find myself blocked artistically, I think of Alex. Ya just gotta paint. I talked to him yesterday and, true to form, the pandemic hasn't slowed him down much.

How are you feeling, Alex?

In my personal life, very little has changed. I'm already living a "socially distanced" life. Ahahha.

Were you able to quarantine in the studio? How long has it been?

Yes, I'm here in the studio painting every day. I've been wearing a mask outdoors since the mayor issued the order, I can't remember when that was... a couple weeks now at least.

When did it hit you how serious this was?

I don't think it has yet, but I've been following the "social distancing" guidelines ever since the city ordered it.

*sigh* We haven’t been able to find masks anywhere.

Have you had cancelled/postponed exhibitions as a result?

Yes, the Hive Gallery anniversary show that was to be in April is postponed for now. Also, my art demo's in Santa Clarita and Escondido in March were both cancelled.

What have you been doing with the downtime? Are you able to make art right now?

Painting every day. finish past pieces, experimenting with new pieces. Very productive actually. Also working twitter, Instagram, and Saatchi Art like a smooth criminal and selling more prints and art in the past three weeks than I did the past 6 months!

So, you’re finding some inspiration in all this?

Yes.

What has been the most challenging part of this for you?

So far, it's not challenging at all.

What are some of your coping mechanisms?

My counselor and I have set up online therapy sessions since we can't meet at the clinic for the time being. That is nice.

What's the thing/place you wish you could do/go but can't right now?

Visit my mom. Teach at the senior center.

Done any binge watching, book reading, game playing?

Binge watching Tiger King. the Ted Kascinski doc. Your Mom's House. Useful Idiots.

Favorite work of art in Los Angeles?

The Flight into Egypt by Jacopo Bassano at the Norton Simon. It is so solidly painted I admire it every time I visit.

The Flight Into Egypt

What song is stuck in your head right now?

"California Uber Alles" by the Dead Kennedys.

Favorite brand of toilet paper and where do you find it?

Charmin at the CVS.

If you could hoard one food item, what would it be?

Peanut Butter.

Do you know anyone personally who has contracted the virus?

Not personally, but I know friends of friends.

How do you think this all ends?

We get over the virus, a lot of people will die, America will move one giant step closer to a Chinese style surveillance state, the economy takes a huge shit, The government and Fed try to run the same script as the last time that failed,  the public finally realizes how screwed over they've been the past 20 years which sparks major protests, then a great awakening but I'm not sure awakening to what yet.

I understand you've been donning PPE and venturing out to do good deeds like bringing groceries to friends. How often do you go outside?

Once a day, with a mask if it's on the street, or just to the roof I don't wear a mask. I have not done any plein air painting since the stay at home order.

On the day of this writing, Instacart workers are going on strike. We've seen the hoarders and the price gougers. We've seen people line-up for guns in Culver City. This is gonna get a lot uglier, right?

Yes, I believe so. The virus is one thing, the economic collapse is another. Both were inevitable. I think the powers that be that blew this new bubble just figured put the pedal to the metal until something like this comes along and then they just pull their parachutes as the car sails over the cliff with the American public locked inside.

On a scale of the Great Depression to the Black Death, how do you rank this?

As far as the economic side of this dual crisis, I'd says it's going to be "worse" than the Great Depression as far as a larger number of Americans losing even more of the lifestyle they've become acquainted to.. as far as comparing the COVID 19 epidemic to the Black Death it's a little too soon to tell but I think this illness we are experiencing now is a lot less grave of a concern than the plague was to the 15th century, but the changes we will see in our way of life and our relationship to government will be profound

Still feeling good about Bitcoin?

Absolutely! I've sold paintings for Bitcoin recently.

Thanks, Alex.