Our fifty-second post of the series, Artists in the Time of Coronavirus includes Mary Powers Holt, Kaoru Shibuta, Jay Miller, Kyle Jarrard, and Michele Brody. Thank you for sharing with us and the Philly art community!

We have gotten over 300 submissions, and we are so grateful to all participants. The time has now passed to submit (submissions closed July 29, 2020 at 11:59 PM), but there will be more posts coming! Stay safe and stay positive, and come back in the days to come for more “Artists in the Time of Coronavirus.” We have a wonderful community and are so proud of being able to share everyone’s art.

Mary Powers Holt

Painting of a lake at sunset with boats laid out on the grass in front of the water — Mary Powers Holt, “Boats to the Other Side of the Lake,” Acrylic on Linen, 30” x 40”, 2020 Courtesy Mary Powers Holt.

Painting of a lake under a setting sky with the colors reflected in the water — Mary Powers Holt, “Sky and Lake Reflections, Acrylic on Linen,” 40” x 30”, 2020 Courtesy Mary Powers Holt.

I am a landscape painter who often uses photos and images as a catalyst for my paintings. My painting “Boats to the Other Side of the Lake” was started at the beginning of the quarantine lockdown in March 2020. Both paintings shown are from photos I took at Marsh Creek State Park. When I started painting “Boats to the Other Side of the Lake” I was thinking about how myself, family and friends were starting an incredibly difficult journey without knowing what would be on the other side of this pandemic. The boats are a symbol of a journey. The colors of the land on the other side are heightened and otherworldly due to the sensation of anxiety and not knowing how long this will go on. At the time I thought the quarantine might be a few weeks or a month but now understand as everyone else does we must be careful for much longer. The second painting “Sky and Lake Reflections” was painted right before “Boats to the Other Side” and my focus here was on the shapes and light patterns in the sky during early evening. Time spent painting in my studio and outside has been an incredible break and release from worry and I have focused on my surroundings closest to home.

Kaoru Shibuta

Deep purple background with many small multi-colored abstract shapes floating in perspective — Kaoru Shibuta, “Goldberg variations” Courtesy Kaoru Shibuta.

White background with many multi-colored abstract shapes floating in perspective — Kaoru Shibuta, “JEUNE HOMME” Courtesy Kaoru Shibuta.

The world connected by sound.

Kaoru Shibuta translates musical notes into images and contemporary installations. In addition, through local culture and energy of atmosphere, he creates a poetic symphony composed of images, colours and harmony, which is a perfect fusion between nature, music and art.

“If Mozart is the one who composes music to link the terrestrial world to the celestial world, I am the one who undertakes him to propagate it with my painting. If Beethoven composed to surpass philosophy,then I undertake to give them a shape with my paintings. J・S・Bach is the old testament Bible of the classical music.”

Jay Miller

Collage of faces formulated into the body of a person with a drawn face — Jay Miller, “DIzzy-Controlled (speaking to being confined) Reaction to Pandemic Chaos and the Black Lives Matter Rallies” Courtesy Jay Miller.

Collage of different male body parts into a rectangular shape with portions jutting out — Jay Miller, “Homage to Robert Mapplethorpe #1 (Having homebound recently viewed the
documentary “Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures” recalling having first seen his work in Soho in the 80’s followed by attending his Exhibit on Penn’s Campus).” Courtesy Jay Miller.

While having returned to my whirling introspective expressions during these months of “exile!” With an illustration/graphic design past surrounded by boxes of long collected ephemera – vintage and more recent – I dove into boxes of accumulata and hands on, on the edge of my isolated bed, created these two mixed media collages — using magic markers drawing details, rubber cement, scissors, vintage erotica and 1990’s postcard images.

Turning to my art during this restrictive era has helped keep me sane, or some assemblage of such!

https://www.facebook.com/jake.miller.77985

Kyle Jarrard

multimedia collage with figurative drawings — Kyle Jarrard, “The Sea Is My Brother”: Acrylic, watercolor and collage on paper. July 2020. Courtesy Kyle Jarrard.

vertical rectangular painting with a black background and white and blue paint strokes going downwards — Kyle Jarrard, “Throughbreak No. 1”: Acrylic on paper. July 2020. Courtesy Kyle Jarrard.

In the Time of the Coronavirus, two submissions, sans trop de commentaire,
except that we dream in color now every night and most all day. It’s
not Philly but Florida. I grow okra and cowpeas out back. We also
get lots of lightning, and the thunder actually moves the air like
books falling over on a shelf. Next: Trying to find a way to schmoosh
all the beach trash I’ve picked up into a painting. Gorilla glue? Oh,
by the way, if you do have the misfortune to contract covid-19,
listen to your heart, because it will skip beats and lose time
for a few weeks. Never fear, however, phthalo blue awaits you.

Michele Brody

Drawing of the view outside of a window with a plant on the sill. Out the window, visible is a fire escape and a partial view of two domestic buildings. — Michele Brody, “Simone’s Window” Courtesy Michele Brody.

OUT my window..
Took out the stain glass window that’s usually there
wanted raw closeness to the outside
..also it was an escape .. a double-
It was the first time I went out there
and just looked around

Drawing of a window sill with stacked rocks and a plant. Outside the window multiple domestic buildings are visible. — Michele Brody, “Joyce’s Window” Courtesy Michele Brody.

Playground of the Gods
My totem poles
Erected in stone

A generation of three
Yesterday, today, tomorrow
Standing side by side

My guardian angels
Accompanying my solitude
Watching over me
By the window

Artists in the time of Coronavirus, an ongoing virtual exhibition, Part 52

By Artblog July 30, 2020

We proudly present part 52 of our open call, non-juried, online exhibition entitled "Artists in the time of Coronavirus!" A huge thank you to our 300+ participants! The deadline to submit has passed and we thank everyone who participated in the series. But we're not done posting! We have a backlog of submissions and will be presenting another 4 or so episodes of the series before we're done. So stay tuned for more!