It is hard to believe that it’s been almost four full months since COVID-19 forced everyone to change their way of living. Everything from staying home and cooking and washing dishes more than ever, to taking advantage of the imposed slow pace… although ironically sometimes it was a much faster pace and with a sense of urgency not felt before.
Then we add the detrimental economic effect of the quarantine and the imperative need to support each other to the best of our ability. Shopping local, ordering to go meals from local restaurants and tipping more than ever before, gifting our loved ones items made by fellow artists, contributing to the gofundme campaigns of those in dire situations.
And last but not least, the overdue explosion of social issues, inequality and discrimination non stop, having to learn about our own privilege and how to turn it around for the greater good.
For once, it is right in our face a constant reminder of the great reach of all and every one of our actions. Can we see it?
Only a collective effort will save our environment and leave a better world for our kids, only a collective effort will keep the virus away (wear your mask!!), only a collective effort will achieve a society that values our differences, based more on kindness and fairness and less on greed and power.
But among all, the blooming of creativity has greatly caught my attention. Our power of adaptation is magnificent. On my clay world front, the few shows that I do and love have been cancelled, but check this out:
My favorite ACGA Clay & Glass Festival in Palo Alto was delay a full year, but they will be running a Pop-Up Online sale from August 1st-August 10th. The roster of clay and glass artists will be great!
Unique Markets has organized theme Pop-Up Online sales. I will be part of the Home Sweet Home one from August 3rd-August 9th. This will offer a variety of goodies to choose from!
I was scheduled to be in Minneapolis again this year for the Northern Clay Center American Pottery Festival, but COVID has forced them to run this amazing fundraiser in new and alternative ways. Please keep an eye for all their activities for September 4th-September 6th.
The Ojai Studio Artists Tour has also been delayed a full year. This is a big bummer because this is the major fundraiser we make to support our scholarships. We have now a different kind of fundraiser! Many of our artists have painted original works on 8×10 panels. Each panel is a $200 dollar donation with half the portion going to OSA including scholarships and the other half going to the artists.
With gratitude,
Sandra