AS WE ENTERED 2020 NO ONE EVER EXPECTED THAT WE WOULD EXPERIENCE A PANDEMIC OF GLOBAL PROPORTIONS. LOCK DOWN BECAME A REALITY AND PEOPLE BEGAN FINDING NEW AND CREATIVE WAYS TO ENTERTAIN THEMSELVES. THE ITALIANS STARTED SINGING TO EACH OTHER ON THEIR BALCONIES, TOILET PAPER BECAME A HOT COMMODITY AND ZOOM BECAME A PART OF OR DAILY LIVES.
SOCIAL MEDIA WAS RIFE WITH MEME’S ABOUT HAND WASHING, HOME SCHOOLING, DIY HAIR STYLING AND BREAD MAKING.
WHILE NEW YORK CITY WAS IN COMPLETE LOCK DOWN, I CAME ACROSS A TWEET BY ART CRITIC JERRY SALTZ - “YOUR QUARANTINE NICKNAME IS HOW YOU FEEL RIGHT NOW + THE LAST THING YOU ATE OUT OF THE CUPBOARD”. I FOUND THIS SO AMUSING THAT I STARTED TO DRAW SOME OF MY FRIENDS’ RESPONSES TO THIS, SLOWLY EVEN STRANGERS STARTED ASKING ME TO DRAW THEIR NICKNAMES. IT WAS TOUCHING TO DISCOVER THAT PEOPLE FOUND MY DRAWINGS AMUSING AND MY DAILY ILLUSTRATIONS ALLOWED ME STAY CONNECTED AND SANE. I DREW OVER A HUNDRED OF THESE “QUARANTINE NICKNAMES” DURING THE LOCK DOWN OF SPRING/SUMMER 2020. BELOW ARE A SELECT FEW, ALONG WITH A FEW OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS DEPICTING SOME OF OUR LOCK DOWN OBSESSIONS.