Link 1: "Prayer" submitted by Ana Lyon
Link 2: To Somebody, Nobody, digital illustration, submitted by Avital Dayanim
Artist Reflection: I was inspired by the notes that many leave wedged in the cracks of the Western Wall in Jerusalem, and how prayer manifests itself in so many forms— all of which are legitimate in their own right. Prayer can inquire, wish, and question, be eloquently spoken or desperately scrawled, and might be directed at God, the universe, or something else entirely.
Link 3: ACT Practice Test in the Time of Covid, writing, submitted by Candice Kelsey
Artist Reflection: The four torn slips of paper in the digital illustration “To Somebody, Nobody”reminded me of the high school students I teach and the difficult time they have endured through this pandemic. Most of my energy has been spent caring for these young adults on the cusp of their futures, having to push through things like standardized tests while trying to manage the grief of losing so much. I was drawn to the sense of their not being heard, of their feeling the need for adults (and teachers) to protect them, and for their wishing things could be different but ultimately finding gratitude.
Link 4: A Lonely Ditty, harmonica submitted by Oren K.
Artist Reflection: The ACT piece made me sad and chuckle simultaneously, which is a back and forth I have definitely experienced during this pandemic. I thought the lonely, melancholy sound of the solo harmonica could reflect the isolation we have all experienced. I wanted a melody that felt lonely, but not necessarily sad. And the wobbly vibrato echoes the uncertainty of this year’s experience.
Link 5: Inner Monologue, sharpies on paper submitted by Marriah Vengroff
Artist Reflection: I listened to the harmonica piece and felt like it was weaving through a set of someone’s internal thoughts and emotions. Up and down, side to side. I envisioned a twisting pattern as the music and thoughts traveled through the mind. Each note / idea emanating colors and waves that will spark movement and actions that reverberate through the world.
Link 6: “Cascade of Care” submitted by Jaime Brody
Artist Reflection: We are not in this alone. It takes one person caring for another to create a community of love and compassion, to begin the waves of care that cascade from one person to the next. The care may flow in different directions, at different speeds, take different forms, but it all comes together in its own ways.
Note: This chain was started with a submitted community response to the prompt: How have you cared for others or how others have cared for you during these challenging times? The artists did NOT see the reflections written by the previous artist, only the image of the work and the title. The reflections were revealed only when the chain was complete. The six links in the chain are intended to offer a creative way to connect and offset the six feet of physical distance we need to keep from each other in order to care for each other.
Feeling inspired? Create your own artistic response to this chain and share on instagram #translationsart.