Diana Thorneycroft, "Girl with Freckles," 2020
pencil on paper, 11" x 11” (courtesy of the artist)
Winnipeg artist Diana Thorneycroft is known for photographic works depicting aspects of Canadian identity that are humorous and sometimes dark, including the The Canadiana Matyrdom Series and the Group of Seven Awkward Moments. In recent days, she has been working on a series of coronavirus drawings, including Girl with Freckles.
Once we were all asked to stay home, I thought, OK, I can draw. I started working on a new piece, but found concentrating on it for any length of time was really hard. I kept returning to the news, watching CNN and CBC on TV, and googling coronavirus websites.
Eventually, though, the news obsession waned slightly (I only check it six times a day now) and I began reading novels and binge watching Netflix. I also went back to drawing again, and finally was able to be fully engaged in the process. The psychological shift was magical, as it always is. I’ve known for a long time that drawing is similar to meditation. The act itself settles my inside.
The content of what I draw is unpredictable. Because I don’t think or plan out the compositions beforehand, I must allow my creativity/subconscious free rein. To let that happen requires intense concentration – and that is the gift of the moment. Any anxiety I am experiencing is both embraced and held at bay at the same time. I feel settled and insecure, safe and vulnerable, confidently messed up.
Fortunately, it does take my (conscious) mind off the horror of what is going on in the outside world. Like waking up first thing in the morning and for a split second thinking everything is normal, when I “come up for air” after drawing for several hours, I remember the turmoil and the anxiety returns. ■
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