By Mary Rochelle Burnham
Jerome AZ (May 25, 2020) – As another month of quarantine has passed us by, we are hopeful that a ‘new normal’ is blossoming forth. Jerome Art Walk has not resumed, however, many of our artists and businesses are beginning to reopen like the cactus flowers; and like the cactus with its thorny exterior, let us celebrate its tenacity and strength to survive in new situations. It is the time for renewal and hope. Let us come together in harmony and support of each other.
As we begin to welcome tourists again, Cody DeLong will have limited hours on Thursday, Friday and Saturday for the next month. Cody shared his experience regarding the pandemic as follows:
“Since Jerome was closed two months ago, I’ve been working on a couple of manual labor jobs to make some money. I scraped and painted the underside of a friend’s deck over the past couple of weeks. It was a bit of work, but it was very nice of him to help me out during this challenging time.
“I’m also doing a little drywall repair for another friend. It’s times like these when you find out who is really there for you.
“I’ve also been very touched by the well wishes online, and by several of my collectors who have come forward and made purchases in the last two months. I want to give a hearty thank you. You know who you are. My sister made a big purchase for her office as well. I am blessed by all the support. For about a month I thought I might have to close my studio in Jerome, but now I am much more hopeful that things will be OK. I am healthy and I know there are many who are struggling with much bigger issues right now. I am blessed.”
“Here’s a note from one of my collectors:
‘I want you to know how much I enjoy…and study… the painting that I purchased from you a couple of weeks ago when I and my husband stopped by. Besides the gorgeous complimentary colors, I love that up close it is so abstract and at a distance, looks so detailed and realistic. I (as a fellow painter) still have difficulty saying more with less. You really nailed the illusion of light! Bravo, Cody!’ ~M. B.
“We are following best safe practices in the building, cleaning and trying to keep people to distancing guidelines etc. Please stop by Thurs – Sat from noon to 5pm at 300 Hull Ave in Jerome. www.codydelong.com”
Žushka Biros will 
be opening her Studio 203 Art Classroom, 885 Hampshire Ave. Bldg. A, Studio 203, Jerome for art classes, photography workshops, and Art Walk.
Puscifer the Store is now open from 11 am – 6 pm. We are asking guests to comply with state and federal guidelines in the store – wear a protective face covering or mask, adhere to social distancing, and we are giving guests hand sanitizer before they come in because there is so much to touch in our store. We want to open safely and responsibly. Barbifer is accepting appointments for haircuts only and ask that customers wear a face covering or mask to keep our barber protected. No beard or mustache trims at this time.
Four Eight Wineworks is currently offering wine bottle sales to go but will open on May 27th for flights and glasses.