In the Midst 2020, by Darlene Hodgetts
Oil on wood panel, 9"x12", June 2020
Painting Series: FRONT PAGE
As we witnessed the historic and unfolding expression of collective anger on the first week of June 2020, we caught ourselves at times feeling uncomfortable in our quietness, privately disqualified. Black lives matter, and rather than waiting for something or someone to hold a safe space for us during that time to process our own feelings about why and how that affected us, we started to listen and learn from those who have been screaming about it for generations.
A few of the fragmented pieces of information we received that week come from reading the local papers. Unfortunately, most sources of news, as imperfect as they may be in claiming to be unbiased, were not easily accessible. Most of them hid content behind paywalls, and the ones printed were ephemeral when they were even accessible. And that’s without mentioning what we were still under quarantine, on top of periods of curfew.
We asked painters to make use of a very essential public service that was available to us during that time and that allowed us to be informed now when we needed it most: our public libraries. Despite being closed, public libraries offered access to local and national papers online.
We learn how to use access to local papers through public libraries’ online services. We looked at the papers from May 30th. We picked an image that resonated with us. That was the subject matter of your paintings.
- Signed by artist
- Unframed.
- This painting is in Rancho Mirage, California.
- Buyer covers packing and shipping fees: $15 if it ships within the US. $25 if it ships internationally.
