In quarantine with Caroline Ventura
Where in the world are you?
West Village, NYC
Are you currently on lockdown?
I flew home from Melbourne on March 15th and haven't left my apartment much since
Are you alone, or with others?
Thankfully I am here with my husband and our dog Darryl, who is providing a lot of emotional support cuddles. We also just got a puppy, Mary, so she is keeping me on my toes
How are you keeping yourself busy/occupied?
Reading, drawing, cleaning. So much cleaning. Chasing after a puppy so she doesn't chew my houseplants
What are you finding the easiest/most difficult aspects of social distancing/lockdown?
I was surprised at how quickly I fell into embracing the quietness this time is providing. I miss my friends and human connection, but am also leaning into allowing myself to be quiet and contemplative. I'm frustrated with how difficult it is to focus right now though. I had grand dreams of doing a lot of creative work and when I sit down to get to it, I find it very difficult to feel free and not forced. I also have moments where I am extremely emotional, and moments of intense joy, suddenly. Before this I was a pretty even keeled person but now my moods spike up and down rapidly.
Do you have any positive thoughts on what’s happening?
I'm hopeful that this time can teach us patience. We live(d) in a world where we could have everything on demand. I hope that people can return to a sense of waiting for something you want, instead of expecting it to happen yesterday.
What new things are you learning during this time?
Right now I am allowing myself to try new ways of creating that don't necessarily have to do with my job or career. I'm playing with some clay. Taking an online art history course. Drawing and painting with some new materials I don't normally use.
In your opinion - how will this period change our lives in the future?
This is the hard one to figure out. I am hopeful that humanity can move from a place of extreme prejudice to a more understanding and accepting society as a whole but when I turn on the news and see what's truly going on, we have a lot of work to do and a long way to go. This pandemic is shining a light on a lot of injustices and disparities in our world.
Are you planning on making any life changes when the virus eventually disappears? A new career-path, focus, or hobby?
Currently I'm not able to work on any jewelry as my production studio in NY's diamond district is closed. I don't know when it will re-open, and when I will feel comfortable going there, so I am focusing more on art and photography and building a larger portfolio of that work for myself.
Reading:
Devotion by Patti Smith
Listening:
David Byrne. He gets me in such a good mood.
Watching:
Waco on Netflix. I remember watching this unfold on the news when it happened but I was too young to understand - I think I was 9 or 10 at the time
Eating:
A lot of pasta. Roast chicken. Braised greens. A lot of brothy beans. My favorite part of this quarantine has been preparing a meal with my husband and sitting down together to enjoy it.
Drinking:
Lots of wine from Stranger Wines in BK
Cooking:
Every meal. We haven't ordered any takeout or delivery yet, and it's been a nice way to slow down at the end of the day and enjoy the process of feeding myself
Doing:
Now that the weather is warming up, I am spending more time outside on our deck, getting our garden ready for the summer. I also gave myself a home haircut :/
Caroline's quarantine diary:
