Self Portrait with Snail

2020

During the Covid-19 lockdown of 2020 my perception of time became distorted. Days dragged on while weeks flew by. A crippling combination of anxiety, claustrophobia and fear affected me for the first time. The knowledge that the whole world was suffering added to the doom. Home schooling my children, and keeping my family’s physical and mental health on an even keel required all my energy. My creativity was diverted into the domestic sphere. Meeting my family’s needs and keeping everyone sane and well nourished became my priority. I planted seeds and grew food. My brain started to quiet and I observed the little things that I normally have no time for. I watched snails in the garden. I made a comfortable glass space filled with vegetables and water for them so that I could make a more detailed study. I was inspired by the snails to live in the moment. I forced myself to breathe deeply. To slow down. To be still. This work Self Portrait with Snail, depicts my full submission, without resistance or friction to this new dynamic.

 

This photograph was commissioned by Del Barrett as part of Hundred Heroines virtual Cabinet of Remedies hundredheroines.org/cabinet-of-remedies-exhibition/