BAKERSVILLE – As local art galleries reopen their doors, local artists are looking forward, and backward, at how the ongoing coronavirus pandemic affects them.
Bakersville glass artist JJ Brown, the co-owner and co-operator of Fyreglas with wife Simona Rosasco, said the pandemic has helped him appreciate the daily privileges he experiences as an artist.
“In terms of working on our art, our lives really haven’t changed,” he said. “Like many artists, we work from home at our studio and we don’t get out and about very much.”
While Brown noted the significance in the loss of sales of their artwork, he said the impact has been less severe because he receives retirement money.
“We’re not struggling in the way someone who is solely an artist is because of my retirement,” he said. “But we are definitely seeing a financial impact with the loss of tourism and the gallery closures.”
Jenny Lou Sherburne, a clay artist based in Bakersville, reiterated this point.
“It’s honestly been a luxury that my husband is steadily employed and can support me,” she said. “But it’s been stressful not having my own income. It’s been pretty huge for me.”
Sherburne said she has had to adapt and turn to the internet to try and sell her artwork.
“I have taken this time to re-do my website and get on Etsy,” Sherburne said. “But, that’s not huge. I just don’t really know how to get that engine going.”
Brown said the artists who have done well during the pandemic are the ones who got involved with e-commerce early on.
“We just haven’t gotten to that digital point yet,” Brown said. “We’re definitely more aware of e-commerce now, though. It’s just something we’ve been putting off and putting off.”
Robbie Bell, owner and operator of Speckled Dog Pottery in Bakersville, is one artist who hadn’t been putting it off, though.
“I was so lucky to get ahead of this,” Bell said. “I worked with my webmaster back in January to update my website and put in a shopping option. I know he’s completely swamped now.”
Bell said he was surprised at the success of his website, noting he had sold a decent amount of work over the past three months.
Bell added he has actually enjoyed having more free time to focus on his work without a looming deadline hanging over his head.
“I started a new line of work right before this, but I really didn’t have time to work on it,” Bell said. “But, now, I’ve had extra time to work on it. So, it’s actually given me time to grow. I’ve taken it and run with it.”
Both Brown and Sherburne echoed this. Brown said in his spare time, he’s been learning new techniques and getting inspired.
“I’ve been taking some online video classes to learn a new technique called ‘tapestry’ that I can implement into a new line I’m starting soon,” he said. “I’ve also been driving around and everything is so lush right now, that I want to incorporate some of these rich greens I’ve been seeing into the work.”
Sherburne said she has been taking this time to listen to her inner voice and determine her next steps.
“I’ve always been so deadline driven, which doesn’t give me a lot of time to process,” she said. “So, I’ve been listening to my creative dissatisfactions and taking my artistic temperature. I haven’t reached any strong conclusions yet, but it’s been nice to have the opportunity to do that.”
Brown, Bell and Sherburne are three of 15 local artists involved with Mica Gallery, a cooperative art gallery in Bakersville. Mica is opening to the public on Wednesday, July 1.