The Face of Covid (Sugar Skulls)
This series started randomly while I was trying to sketch what I thought the face of corona would look like. The paintings evolved into iconic images of skulls. Something you might see representing Pirates, Marauders or even Sugar Skulls.
I painted these Skulls in my Philadelphia studio when the pandemic hit in 2020. The pandemic had caused restrictions and a lock down. I felt isolated and alone. I also felt anxious and fearful, but also experienced feelings of freedom. The freedom of being in my studio daily with out any distractions of daily life. All this filled me with inspiration. I began to paint daily at a manic pace. The work took on its own meaning. I was not consciously aware of what I was doing. When summer hit there was civil unrest in the streets next to my studio. I could hear the sirens and helicopters as I worked. Outside my studio I observed military soldiers building barricades. This increased my anxiety which fueled my energy. I worked uncontrollably at a high intensity every day. When I paused, I tried to understand what I was expressing or had created. I was unable to figure out any meaning. I placed the work on view in an exhibition in Philadelphia. They have received a nice response and the viewer has helped me understand the work. .