I am disappointed, I truly am. The number of views from this past week, the depressingly low number of people who even, for a moment, considered purchasing a print, has me both frightened and concerned. I am frightened because there are too many people who seem to think the whole coronavirus thing with its shutdowns and limitations will be over in another week or so. It won’t. We’re going to be living with this for the rest of the year and probably into the next. Yes, there will be breaks where we can work, but a month’s break is most likely to yield yet another 2-3 month period of quarantine. I’m concerned because at some point I will need to buy more food for the family and prices on that food aren’t going down. As I watch the numbers in my bank account decrease, I have to consider rationing what we have, reducing serving sizes, asking kids to back off the snacks, to make sure we have enough to at least keep the children healthy.
To that end, and perhaps my own physical detriment, I’m adding three images this week. “Don’t Forget To Dance” is brand new and was the most time-intensive endeavor. This digital composite is meant to be an encouragement to find time to dance or do other things that make one happy. To the extent one is able, this is the time to indulge in one’s self, dance, sing, consume large quantities of ice cream in a single sitting, or whatever else makes you happy. I worked on this image a bit at a time as I was able and was initially the only image I planned on offering this week. You can click here to purchase a copy of this print.
The next two pieces were late additions after realizing late yesterday how miserable this week’s numbers were. From a health perspective, I shouldn’t have stayed up as late nor gotten up as early in order to finish these pieces. Fortunately, we started with previously completed works and only needed to add to them, which helped to reduce the processing time considerably.
“Together We Survive” draws attention to the fact that the vulnerable and at-risk are dependent on those who are strong. This applies not only to the current environment but throughout our society in general. The virus has us more aware of those who need assistance but the truth is that those in need were here long before the virus. You can click here to purchase a copy of this print.
Finally, “Fracturing The Midwest” is based upon a previous contest piece from 2011. With the help of Christopher Thompson and Pam Warren, we covered the model with elements of grain, corn, and flowers representing the agricultural heart of the Midwest. What I’ve done in this version is trying to put in visual form the ripping apart of lives in the Midwest as jobs are lost and lives are fractured by the realities of necessary and ongoing quarantines. Here, even where assistance is offered, artists and those working in the gig economy often don’t meet the documentation requirements necessary for assistance. These people not only have no savings but are often already up to their eyeballs in debt. Their lives are being shattered with each day the pandemic continues. You can click here to purchase a copy of this print.
Now, I’m going to do something I probably shouldn’t do and offer you a discount. Enter the code BTAYPJ when you check out and get 20% off my markup on any image. Mind you, I can’t discount Fine Art America’s raw cost. Any discount comes out of my pocket. So, I’m only offering this sale for ONE WEEK. Prices, of necessity, go back to normal after that. My hope is that perhaps there will be enough sales to make up for the discount. We’ll see, won’t we?
Life is not great at the moment. I am not happy. Health concerns external to Covid-19 are mounting. I’ve had one photoshoot in the past three months. We’ve been lied to regarding the virus and its long-term effects. We are not going to shake off this crisis and return to life, as usual, any time soon, if at all. I will continue to attempt to create at least one new piece a week as long as doing so is feasible. Thank you for supporting us during this time.