Life post-Covid19 shutdown +Lake Como painting of the gardens at Villa Balbianello

Hi friends,

It is kind of strange to be posting this blog at this point in time. I had imagined I would restart my blogging with happy news—posting from the road perhaps during my plein air festivals, updating you all on social media with paintings from trips to the beach, the marshes, and the mountains. But that isn’t the way things have worked out for me this spring, or, I suspect, for a whole lot of other people who have found themselves in home confinement during this COVID19 pandemic.

This spring I’ve been mostly occupying myself with helping my daughter with her home study, adjusting to school closures and time without her friends. I’m also busy trying to secure groceries (and toilet paper!) and doing a whole lot more cooking and working in the garden. I’ve been trying to get myself and my family grounded as I feel the earth shift under all of our feet. In an effort to find some equilibrium, I’ve been organizing and updating my art files and reference photos, giving my website a tune-up, and generally trying to quell the sense of overwhelm I feel rising up from time to time.

Quite frankly I have been doing a little mourning too, not because we have experienced loss or illness at this point (thank God) but just because of the suffering I’m observing in the communities in the country and around the world. On a purely selfish level, loss of the simple things I took for granted pre-pandemic is also present.

Just before the shut down I upgraded my exhibition space at Crossroads Art Center here in Richmond, from a “wall” to a studio.

My Studio Space at Crossroads Art Center, located in building 2

The March opening that was scheduled was to be my inaugural event in my new space. That opening went online, and the entire Art Center closed for a time to public entry, except for by-appointment showings. My plan for my new space was to set up and do a little painting there on a weekly basis, to meet customers and answer any questions, in hopes that I could be more accessible beyond the scheduled art openings. That plan is on hold for now. My studio is still maintained though, and Crossroads has gradually reopened with reduced hours and a 10-person-limit at a time, with masks required of all staff and visitors at the present time.

Like every other small business I am watching and waiting and hoping for signs of improvement. For now I am working in my home studio. It has, out of necessity, taken a back seat too this spring. But slowly I am adjusting and finding a little time to get back in there.

As I mentioned, I have lately been going through a lot of my files and photos, trying to get them organized. In the process I lingered over my past travel photos and I really enjoyed revisiting them—especially now when I can use any uplift. This is my first oil painting since before the schools closed in March.

“Giornata in Paradiso, Villa Balbianello,” Oil on linen, 20x24” ©Jennifer E. Young

It felt really great to be back in front of my easel and to completely lose myself for a time in this happy memory of my visits to Italy and Lake Como and the wonderful gracious people (very much in my thoughts lately) that my husband and I encountered along the way. This view was from the stunning terraced gardens of Villa Balbianello. I painted a smaller version of this piece a number of years ago, but I was interested to tackle it again, re-imagined. Click through on the image if you would like to read more about the painting and the place that inspired it.