GEORGE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS - For most of us, life is usually a treadmill of activities. Even those of us who are retired, in our retirement we all volunteer for local community duties or child minding.
This particularly nasty virus out from China, Covid-19, is bringing the world to the brink of collapse, the worst disaster ever experienced in peacetime, likely more disastrous than the 1919 flu pandemic.
I have concerns that this pandemic will move away from the wealthy Northern hemisphere and take even greater hold in our much poorer and thickly populated African continent. This is the saddest thing I have ever imagined.
Going into the year 2020 my mind convinced me that this would be an iconic year, a new decade of reawakening, jump-starting our economy, cultural development, and enhancing our lives generally.
We are now forcefully transported from the luxury of the hurly-burly activity of normal everyday life and removed to a period of confinement to our homes.
For us artists of the Southern Cape region this crisis gives us a respite from life's treadmill. We self-isolate and concentrate on activities which are near to our heart. We paint, and paint and paint. It is an ideal opportunity to catch up.
We can do a little house renovation, garden maintenance or pound the laptop keys, keeping in touch via social media. This is our lifeline, our opportunity to get creative. This is the one way we can give a little to humanity which is indeed suffering much more than ourselves. Already there is food rationing in the UK. Households are limited in their purchasing and deliveries are being made on a rotated schedule. It takes three weeks to get on the list.
As for me, I will finish the paintings already started, particularly those being prepared for the Old Masters Exhibition in the art gallery of the George Museum. Naturally the collection of artworks will be postponed until the wisest among us gives us the "all clear". After our forced hibernation we will emerge not as majestic butterflies, more likely Rip Van Winkle.
At the moment I hope all of our Scava members, all art lovers everywhere, especially those who are very vulnerable, will live through this crisis with care and patience and come out at the other end fit and healthy. We must keep in touch with colleagues and loved ones and assist each other where we can. Keep safe, keep sane, keep healthy.
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