In January 2020 I had Covid-19.

I had been working in long term care for about six months, and had been through various stages of PPE and infection rates. I had the first vaccine as soon as it was offered, and maybe 10 days later I started to feel like a cold was coming on. The assistant director of nursing did a drive-thru rapid test. I never left my car.

It was positive. They sent me home for a minimum of two weeks.

I was very, very lucky. It was like a bad cold with exhaustion. After about a week, I felt just a bit tired. I never had a fever or severe respiratory issues. The kids stayed home from school and I ordered groceries for delivery. A friend sent me a Covid-19 cake.

One of my early water reflection pieces that has become something completely different.

So what do you do when you are stuck at home for all that time?

It was one of my most prolific periods of painting. My creativity soared. I tried new things and discovered new approaches. It’s when I started experimenting with water reflection paintings. It’s when my work became more abstract.

Another early water reflection painting.

If not for that uninterrupted time I would probably not be writing this blog now, or have the body of work that I do.

Covid is a horrible thing. I am thankful for the time I was given and the effect it had on my art.

Sometimes good things come out of bad. Sometimes bad things enable us to grow.