Silver Linings: San Antonio’s arts community weighs in on the positive side effects of quarantine
Posted By Bryan Rindfuss on Wed, Dec 30, 2020 at 8:15 AM
With 2020 essentially nullifying that concept, we instead asked them to share any silver linings they found in the pandemic’s dark cloud.
Evidenced by the dreaded term “pandemic fatigue,” it’s clear that most of us have become hyper-aware of the grim realities of 2020. Beyond the unfathomable loss of human life, COVID-19 has devastated every aspect of the arts — from communities and institutions to individuals and the creative opportunities that keep them afloat. As we transition into a hopefully brighter 2021, what do you count among the positive takeaways of 2020? How did you adapt? What surprised you? Who impressed you? How did you channel your anxiety? What did you learn?
- Courtesy of Angela Fox
Angela Fox, artist and educator
My positive takeaway from 2020 was to prioritize compassion and gratitude in my professional and personal life. I was really lucky to be able to teach both face-to-face and remotely — my students kept me grounded and work was a welcome escape. I don’t think I’ll take human connections for granted moving forward and I’m in a space where I’m counting my blessings. I tried to keep busy in the studio as well, but I’m learning to channel my anxiety by focusing on things that don’t feel directly related to my studio practice. So the best thing I did in quarantine was take classes online about subjects that interested me. I took a four-week course combining Carl Jung, collage and self-excavation exercises, and it felt really therapeutic to work in an unfamiliar medium and alongside people all over the world. I was blown away — in that class and in my own classes — at the complexities of everyone’s lives and how brave and vulnerable we all are on a day-to-day basis.
