By Mary Rochelle Burnham
Jerome AZ (April 23, 2020) – Is the quarantine getting you down, or are you using your time alone to engage in meaningful activity? Hopefully, with the beautiful weather that is upon us, your spirits are lifting and so too, will the quarantine…inevitably. Although there won’t be a Jerome Art Walk for May 2nd, we want to share our strengths, hopes and resilience of our individual artists and shop keepers.
“While Four Eight Wineworks is closed for now, Puscifer the Store is still accepting online orders at puscifer.com/shop. Vinyl, clothing, board games, home goods,and much more, including DVDs and other merchandise from TOOL, Puscifer the band, and A Perfect Circle can be found there. We have also converted our design studio to help out with the production of masks. Our first batch went out to all employees across all businesses (110) and we sold a few online. We are making N95’s to donate to local hospital staff – about 150-200 total once all done.
Stay safe everyone and please stay home. We look forward to seeing everyone when this is over.”
Christine Ryback is a member of the Jerome Artists’ Cooperative. Located in the old Hotel Jerome at 502 Main St, Jerome. info@jeromecoop.com, 928-639-4276, www.jeromecoop.com.
“I decided to paint this raven at the Grand Canyon before the Covid19 pandemic started. When we were advised to stay at home, one of the activities that sustained me in isolation was oil painting. I find it extremely cathartic, and what better way to spend my time?
“It occurred to me that there is a direct correlation between my painting and what is happening in our world. The raven is completely isolated in the sky, and the background, the Grand Canyon represents our seemingly endless situation like the quarantine.
“Therefore, I decided to title it ‘Voluntary Isolation’, so opposite of what we are trying to follow on a daily basis.
“Ravens are deemed to be one of the most intelligent birds having the edge on tackling tough problems. If only they could solve our current one.
“When the Jerome Artists Cooperative Gallery reopens, my painting will be on display along with prints and cards.”