From independent artists to well-known galleries, creatives all over the world have come together to ensure that art keeps going. The V&A are one of many who have been reaching out to creative individuals through their podcasts. Tate have also got involved with something similar, for example, their ‘Sunday Sculpture’ activity, influenced by the work of Erwin Wurm. While as part of Channel 4’s ‘Creative Plan’, Grayson Perry’s “Grayson’s Art Club” has also launched, which aims to encourage creativity at home, in an artistic documentary of quarantine life.

Demonstrating the incredible networking possibilities going on around the world amid the global pandemic, @socialdistancegallery has set up a platform for BFA and MFA students to exhibit their work in an online Instagram gallery. This has been done to provide students with the opportunity to have a degree show exhibition, who under the current circumstances would not this year.

As a way of supporting each other and practicing togetherness when we are apart, I have been looking to Loughborough art students, who have been abruptly uprooted from their creative and well-equipped school of art. From temporary home studios, to taken over kitchen tables, our students have been utilising any available space they have within their isolation restrictions. Garage spaces, bedrooms, sheds and gardens are just some to name, that have been host to creativity, anxiety and triumph over the last few weeks. Students have also taken to the internet with their practice, using the web to promote their work and formulate an online studio presence. From vlogs on daily quarantine life and artist tutorials to community projects.

In a step to looking even closer at our Loughborough family, we can turn to our very own ABF fellowship student, Emily Hett. I have been catching up with Emily to see how she has been finding working in isolation. Currently she is working on constructing a series of papier-mâché sculptures for a graduate commission she recently got awarded, for the Atmosphere Festival. She said that this has kept her focus and allowed her to keep being creative while at home. Emily has been working out of a spare room studio space while in isolation. She has noticed a rise in the online presence and opportunities for artists during this period, and she, herself is planning to take part in ArtistTakeOver for Artcore, where she’ll have the opportunity to discuss her work online.

To accompany her practice, Emily has also launched a project to distribute free daily drawings to keep people busy and creative while in isolation. Emily told us that this project stemmed from her work at Milton Keynes Arts for Health. “Hetty’s Home Art is a place where you can download free daily drawings and creative activities designed by myself and other artists. Colouring and creativity are thought to bring many benefits such as stress and anxiety relief, focusing on the present, achieving a meditative mind and most of all enables anyone to be creative, not just artists. With people currently having to stay home and possibly having a lot of spare time, I thought it would be a great way for people to be creative and provide a moment of fun distraction.”

In some final advice, Emily told me that she felt that it is important for artists to be open to change during this period and to keep connecting with fellow artists for support.

Turning to my own practice and experience of being an artist in isolation, I have used this time to broaden my skills. Making an achievable weekly plan has allowed me to remain focused. This new way of working is something to be positive about. Still being in contact with my cohort has been important. Sharing stories of our day-to-day goings on, lack of motivation, creative block, advice on practice and sharing our disappointment of our university experience together being over.

Despite this, there is optimism. I believe the biggest disappointment amongst most is the loss of our Degree Show. However, all hope is not lost, the fantastic staff at Loughborough University have worked hard to ensure that we still have the opportunity to exhibit our work, only this time we will be a part of a new online exhibition, details of which will be advertised soon.

Lastly, with the intention of promoting social distancing and creativity during this period of isolation, I am inviting people to take part in my “Community Digital Patchwork”. The project requires people to make their own patch or patchwork. There are no set rules or requirements for the activity, you can be as creative as you like. Once finished I am asking that the work is photographed and sent to me via Instagram @megh_art_ or emailed to m.harkin-16@student.lboro.ac.uk. I will stop taking entries later in May.

Once I have collected everyone’s patchwork images, I will digitally connect them together to form the community patchwork. I want to thank everyone in advance who participates. I hope this activity is something people will enjoy and take pride in being a part of during their isolation.

By Megan Harkin

My name is Megan, I’m a final year Fine Art Undergraduate at Loughborough.

My current art practice challenges the disparity between traditional and contemporary patchwork quilting. I am hugely passionate about my work, more specifically about using my art to engage with a wider community