Staying Connected During This Stay-At-Home Time

"All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once they grow up." —Pablo Picasso

During this stay-at-home time in our collective lives, keeping connected with one another has taken on a new meaning. What could be simpler than stopping by the grocery store on the way home from work or taking a walk with friends on the local “greenway” trail. Now, many of us are working from home and look forward to the day when we can re-visit our favorite restaurant or park.

I would have to guess that making art has always been more of a solitary journey, than say, working at a bookstore, a coffee shop or hardware store. And I say this having been surrounded the past ten plus years with artists and students who have traveled the states and beyond to take one of the 25 workshops that Cheap Joe’s offers every year. But it would be my guess that after a week in Boone, NC, each and every student/artist travel home and back into their solitary studios and begins to practice what they have learned during their workshop stay.

Another Picasso quote is: "The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” 

Whether or not artists are introverts or extroverts is really not the question. The question is the fact that we need both time alone and time with others.

An interesting article I just read in the Wall Street Journal (who would have thunk it) says that: “Evidence shows that social interaction is a biological requirement, much like eating, drinking and sleeping. Our ability to learn to talk, play, acquire new skills (like making art – my addition), fall in love, conduct business and age in good health all hinge on our motivation to connect with other people, social neuroscientists have found. So, while social distancing reduces transmission of the coronavirus, which is good for us, it also increases anxiety, frustration and loneliness, which is bad for us.”¹

I think the point I am trying to make is this: During this time, it is in our best interest to try and keep connected with one another. One of the ways Cheap Joe’s is doing this is by offering little tips and inspiration on our Facebook page and other social media platforms. We really do consider our customers to be a part of our family; without you we would not exist as a company. We are working on more ways to offer artistic content during this time and which will no doubt continue for many years to come after “things” get back to normal.

I was alerted via Facebook this morning that John Prine had passed away. I don’t know why he was never on my playlist as it seems like he was a singer/songwriter that I would really like. One of his song lyrics that popped up on my news feed is from a song called Hello in There and one verse goes like this:

Ya' know that old trees just grow stronger
And old rivers grow wilder ev'ry day
Old people just grow lonesome
Waiting for someone to say, "Hello in there, hello"

In ending this little story, lets take John’s advice and reach out to someone today by phone, by mail (send them an art postcard), by Facebook, by Zoom or any other ways that come to mind. As an artistic community, lets post what we are currently working on and keep sending those prayers and good thoughts to one another.

1. WSJ article by Susan Pinker – April 4-5, 2020