Link 1: Calm in the face of stress & tragedy, submitted by Steven Branfman
Link 2: Being, in the midst of it all, gouache submitted by Sophie Glikson Cahen
Artist Reflection: This piece mirrors my state of mind when the Covid-19’s feverishness began in United States. I was practicing - Being - in the midst of much to do, much information to adjust my work as an expressive art therapist in addition to recovering from Covid symptoms.
Link 3: Rain, mixed media with alcohol inks and resin on metallic photo paper submitted by Amy Weiss
Artist Reflection: The colors from the piece I was given inspired me to use these strips of paintings I had collected. As I tried to find the right placement for them I was drawn into the contrast between a dark background, the white remains of the strips I ripped off, and the bright shiny colors of my paintings.
Link 4: After the rain, photograph submitted by Susan Epstein
Artist Reflection: The vertical images in “Rain,” immediately took me to the asparagus that is coming up in my garden in Vermont that has been nurtured by the spring rains. The garden always speaks to me of renewal and rebirth, but is expressed most powerfully in the magic of the asparagus bed, which generates new life day after day. In the second image, the green life of the vegetables is contrasted with a series of twigs that are embedded in an Ikat weaving made by the Vermont artist, Elizabeth Billings. Since there was no rain in the week I received the "Rain" image, I could not take a photograph in the rain. These verticals convey the feeling of a heavy downpour and the warmth of the earth that grounds us, even in this challenging time. I used a two-part image to express the duality that I feel every day. The blessings of the rain, the garden and the beauty of the earth co-exist with anxiety, fear of the unknowns and the disruption we are all experiencing. Viewed together these images attempt to depict what our lives might look like "after the rain."
Link 5: Love Chain, original piano composition submitted by Martiza Henriquez and Gibran Mobarak
Artist Reflection: Dancing through the melody of the wind and the rain along with a shining sun, joyfully grow the asparagus offering beauty and vitality to others' needs and delight. This piece was composed by a grandmother and arranged by her grandson.
Link 6: Unusual Spring, poem submitted by Maya Bernstein
Artist Reflection: This lovely piece inspired me to write in rhyme. It is deceptively cheerful. It reminded me of the cruel juxtaposition of the gorgeous rebirth of nature in this season and the pain and suffering in our society. The piece builds in complexity - we too sit with all these layers - and emerges, as we hope to do, vibrant, healed, pure. To merit spring.
Link 7: A baby was born, submitted by Ziva Hassenfeld
Artist Reflection: I was struck by the line "there is blood on our hands," and the line, "how dare sky such blue." In the past few months I have been surprised at how much comfort I take in the weather- sunshine, snow, warm, cold, blue skies or rain. Something about stepping outside each day has reminded me how much larger the world is than us and the ways in which our stories are just a punctuation in some greater story. Covid reminds me of how we must live our lives forcing ourselves to recognize that just because something is not happening here, doesn't mean it's not happening. Covid broke down some walls, reinforced others, but all of it is a glass house. We are one world. And every moment a baby is born.
Note: The artists did NOT see the reflections written by the previous artist, only the image of the work and the title. The reflections were revealed only when the chain was complete.
Feeling inspired? Create your own artistic response to this chain and share on instagram #translations2020.