…how relatively empty the streets were in Chicago, as they have been in many cities and communities.
When we returned to the northwest, we saw the pandemic numbers rising again with the newer Delta variant emerging. Like most people, we wanted to put our masks away and return to the life we knew before the pandemic. Continue reading →
…its traditions, beauty, and our expectations of Democracy.
When, about a month after we had our second vaccination shot, and the country was beginning to see advances in defeating the pandemic, we ventured out, first, to La Conner, Wa. which was in the early stages of emerging from a year of isolation. We went north to see a show by Louise Kikuchi in nearby Edison; in addition to her beautiful Sumi-e paintings she was showing a group of traditional Kokeshi dolls she painted to reflect events of January 6, 2021. The Kokeshi wore masks and the pedestals were arranged following social distancing guidelines.
In June we cautiously took a flight, masked, to visit family in Chicago. We arrived just Continue reading →
…In addition to leafing through sequences of images, and our front row seats, media immersion, and books, we did venture outdoors from time to time.
During the tumultuous times of recent years, we continued our efforts at participating in local and national protests. I contributed my efforts to photographically document numerous events sponsored by Indivisible, League of Women Voters, Planned Parenthood, Women’s March, for issues ranging from voting rights, saving our democracy, March for Our Lives, Moms for Portland, and to a rally honoring Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Following the events of January 6, 2021 it has become even more apparent how important it is for all of us to do what we can, to participate in, and do our part to contribute to our culture and society. Continue reading →
…That was my last public outing and like many of you, we were waiting to ride this thing out, doing our part to help in any way we could. Amid this global tragedy, I feel lucky to live where I do, in a community of responsible neighbors, with my studio at hand. Also like you, we have all adjusted our daily routines: socially distanced outdoor visits with friends and more efficient shopping habits. We found pleasure in a simpler way of life, bike rides on a near-empty campus, walks in town, along the board walk, in local parks, photographing along the way. We were nourished by our favorite local restaurants who adapted their offerings to delicious take-out boxed meals.
On warm summer nights we searched the sky for the comet Neowise and the International Space Station, Continue reading →
With this first post after many months, I want to report that we are well. For the past 18 months we have self-isolated and paid attention to recommended guidelines for staying safe and healthy. We are so fortunate and thankful that we have not lost any family or close friends because of the pandemic.
Many of my posts on this website are about art, exhibitions, and art and architectural travels. This series of 5 posts (Emergence A – E) is more diaristic and shares some of what we did and how we participated in cultural events during this time of “stay-at-home.”
On the eve of the pandemic, we were visiting family east of Seattle on the day the first cases were announced in Kirkland and broadcast on the evening and national news. On our way home, as we were waiting at the stoplight to enter the freeway, we looked up and saw that we were at the very hospital where the first Covid-19 patients were being cared for.
The following week, on March 6, 2020, I went to what would become the last public event I would attend for the next 15 months. Even as the news of the pandemic was becoming widespread with some public events being cancelled, the Portland Art Museum was still open. I went to the opening of APEX – Ed Bereal comprised of selected works from his recent retrospective Continue reading →
