Art Break: Fight the Covid Blahs with Canine Collage
Samuel Price’s collage work with a close up view
As an artist, I love listening to podcasts while I work in my studio, often on my latest pet portraits. Recently, I tuned in to an interview with novelist and writer Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of books like Eat Pray Love and Big Magic, which have inspired audiences and sold millions of copies around the world.
Gilbert talked candidly with host Tim Ferriss about her own struggles during this extended public health crisis and her creative strategies to combat them. She admitted that one of her biggest challenges is resisting the tendency to reward herself constantly with a multitude of consumer vices while stuck inside her apartment. Sound familiar?
Being a creature of comfort myself, I’ve often quenched my own hunger with some spontaneous treat or pricey online purchase. Like Gilbert, I found myself spending countless hours on Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest, and Instagram, or scrolling through nerve-wracking political news, guaranteed to spiral me into a more anxious, uncomfortable headspace.
We’re all susceptible to these types of distractions, but as the virus continues to threaten our idea of normal life, we must find ways to adapt and grow in this changed environment. Elizabeth Gilbert pointed to a simple path that can alleviate our cycle of distractions in a more fulfilling way - learning a new creative skill.
In many ways, the pandemic offers an unprecedented chance to try new things. At home or online, you’re free to kickstart your inner artist without wondering what others might think.
One fun way to tap into this creativity is to make a collage portrait of your dog. Collage emphasizes the use of simple everyday household materials that you probably already have on hand: magazines, glue, and scissors. An online workshop can get you started, and you’ve already got the perfect model right there wagging next to you (not to mention a most forgiving critic).
Many famous artists throughout history have dabbled in collage, and their work can be seen in museums around the world. But that’s nothing compared to the joy and inspiration our pets provide us with each day. Capturing your dog with a collage portrait is a great way to try a new skill and jolt yourself off that treadmill of empty distractions.
Like Elizabeth Gilbert, we all face some of the same challenges and disappointments that Covid-19 has brought to our lives. But with dogs, art, and a little creativity, we can fight the pandemic blahs together.