Sequestered

2/5/23 ballpoint and Prismacolor in Stillman & Birn Zeta sketchbook

When I put together my “downstairs studio” a few weeks ago, I must have been prescient.

On Saturday I tested positive for COVID-19. I’m doing well – I’ve had common colds worse than this. Now, more than ever, I’m grateful for the vaccine and boosters that are responsible for keeping my symptoms at bay.

The hardest part has been isolating from the spouse guy to keep him safe (so far, so good), which began as soon as I had learned of my definite exposure. We decided that the best way to do that was for me to sequester in the TV room, which is adjacent to the downstairs bathroom. It minimizes me circulating throughout the house, especially upstairs where our bedroom is – right next to my studio. Other than a couple of quick run-throughs to grab a few things, I’ve stayed out of my studio, making do with what I have downstairs. With art supplies, devices, TV and books, I’m fully entertained. (Even sleeping on our old couch hasn’t been as bad as I expected.) Like my minimal sketch kit challenges, being sequestered is an interesting experiment in using a limited range of supplies.

I don’t usually announce personal health issues and such on social media, but in this case, I thought it would be worthwhile as a cautionary tale. I’ve been vigilant and wary for three years, yet COVID still caught up with me. Stay safe, everyone – the cooties are still out there.

Technical notes: Please excuse the grayish image. I don’t have access to my scanner, so the sketch was taken with my phone. In this room, I’ve got light coming from three directions; hence, the inconsistent shadows. I’m pleased with the way the orange “COVID 19” label came out. I knew that a white Gelly Roll wouldn’t write well over colored pencil. Before coloring, I used heavy pressure to write with it so that it served as a stylus. Then when I applied orange over the writing, the colored pencil resisted the debossed letters.