In the wake of current recommended quarantine due to the coronavirus outbreak, the CDC also recommends washing your hands for at least 20 seconds to prevent spread and to protect yourself. Also, stop touching your face! What is an artist to do with this information? Well of course it’s a challenge! Over on Instagram, I started the #20secondsart challenge to encourage others to grab their pens, paints, clay, VHS camcorder, guitar, whatever and create a piece of art for 20 seconds. Participants share their work with this hashtag to spread the word about washing your hands while creating fun and inventive works of art. I encourage you to set your timer and give it a shot. It’s a great exercise and I would love to see what you can do!
News of the 20 seconds rule hit me about 2 weeks ago which seems years ago already. I am a stay-at-home parent and I work from the house anyways, so the quarantine hasn’t been a big issue for me personally. Although I do miss the social engagement breaks from being out and about. Going to the grocery store and possibly running into a friend. Grabbing some supplies from my favorite art supply store downtown, K.A. Artist Shop. Or the occasional rock and roll practice with my band, Forbidden Waves.
It can definitely be mentally tough, especially for those that don’t work from home. To be cooped up and holed up. Cabin fever set in for me about 3 days. However, I invite you to get creative. See the positive. Maybe now is the time to try and teach your kid how to ride a bike. Or possibly get caught up on some housework. (yeah, I know, that doesn’t sound fun) Organize the garage? Okay, okay. How about this: Visit your backyard. Turn up some stones. Check out what’s living around you. Look up at the stars at night. What’s that? Oh yeah, that’s the moon. Remember the moon?
Quarantine doesn’t mean you have to be stuck inside all day. You can still go outside and explore nature. My son, Doc and I have been scoping out the rolly-pollies, snails, spiders, and occasional snake in our backyard. It’s been a fantastic time and we’ve been working on respecting these creatures and their homes.
On the flip side of going outside, why not cozy up and enjoy your home? Spruce up that living room by rearranging the layout? Fresh art? Yes! Now more than ever, we need to feel our home. Home is not simply a place we lay our head at night or scarf down a quick frozen dinner. Home is our love. It is where we gather around a dinner table and thank the universe for bringing us together. Home is our strength and our sanctuary. We don’t simply exist in our home. We thank the bounty. We live. We love. We celebrate.
How Are You Celebrating Your Home?
