Painting During a Pandemic

By Lee Lanier

2020 – a year we could hardly predict. Yet, we all had to push through it somehow. As with many tragic or challenging events, there are often new opportunities that present themselves.

I decided to use 2020 to more seriously pursue painting. Painting has always been something I loved, but I never treated it like a career. The pandemic provided the opportunity to open my own gallery; it was something I had long thought about but was hesitant to put into motion.

One unfortunate result of COVID-19 was, and is, the tremendous stress put on small businesses. Art galleries were no exception, and by July 2020 there were a number of vacant art gallery spaces in the Arts Factory in the Las Vegas Arts District. The rents would never be lower, so I pulled the proverbial trigger. I was not alone in my thoughts – the Factory was almost completely occupied within a few weeks.

At that point, it was a matter of waiting out the pandemic until crowds returned. Oddly enough, traffic during the week stayed at similar levels to pre-pandemic life. What was missing, however, were the big events such as First Friday. Nevertheless, visitor numbers slowly increased over the months. Artists banded together to create their own events, following all the state guidelines for safety. Art was sold, albeit more slowly. Visitors started migrating from the Las Vegas Strip to the Arts District. Every fourth person seemed to have just moved to Las Vegas and was excited to discover the Factory and the District.

I will spend a moment to mention that my favorite part of running a gallery is talking to the people. I am fascinated by the reactions coming from those with diverse backgrounds and experiences. I enjoy discussing the inspirations, meanings, and contexts of my paintings. I am always pleased to hear their own takes on the stories and symbols contained within the art, even when the interpretations have nothing to do with my original ideas. I love answering questions from children, who are almost always more insightful than the accompanying adults (children tend to see what's before them while adults are perpetually distracted by other thoughts).

Perhaps the biggest loss that we, as a people, have suffered during the pandemic is the loss of humanity by having to wear masks, social distance, and avoid physical contact such as handshakes and hugs. I won't argue the benefits of these practices here, but one has to admit that it has lessened our connection with other human beings and sucked some of the important emotion out of life. Still, some connection, no matter how weakened, is better than none, and I continue to enjoy discussing art with my visitors, even if I have to fight the muffling effect of my mask. I should also mention that I fall into the relatively low-risk category when it comes to COVID-19 and would always encourage those at high-risk to guard themselves.

As I mentioned, things were starting to gain steam in the Arts District – and then the “pauses” came down from the state capital. Once again, I will not argue the benefits of such practices here. The result, however, was much like a rug pulled out from under us. Visitation plummeted heavily during the holidays. Only now is it slowly picking up again. Unfortunately, we may suffer another round of gallery and local business closures if the new vaccines and other precautions fail to free us up to go about our lives. At some point, we all have to ask “What type of life is worth living?” and we must all face the fact that life can never be completely free of some modicum of danger.

One might wonder what is the point of art during these troubling times? Why even bother hawking paintings when we are trying hard not to die from the novel virus, trying to salvage our businesses from financial ruin, or trying to keep our mental clarity in the face of the new and relentless stressors of this “new normal” (an oxymoron if there ever was one). There was a meme circulating about the Internet that captured this perfectly: a city burns in a terrible conflagration while a man yells “Anyone want to buy a painting?!”

I do have an answer to the question of art's value and the short version is art encapsulates the ideals of culture. It's where we can jointly appreciate and celebrate the noble, the beautiful, and the sacred. It's where we can jointly recoil at those things we fear – the horrific, the divisive, the foul – which can give us the courage to fight against those very threats in real life. Art is not less important in trying times, it's even more important, even if it's a hardship to create it and a hardship to pursue it. Art is a luxury of a wealthy society, to be sure; however, even the most primitive cultures throughout history produced some type of art. Besides, it's surely more enjoyable to create and appreciate art than it is to spend a week on the frozen permafrost trying to take down an angry mammoth or tan its leather hide with your teeth.

Of course, the creation of art as an artist can be deeply satisfying. No doubt, each artist experiences a slightly different internal reaction and result, but I find the artistic process very relaxing and Zen-like. My own paintings do not contain any direct correlation to my real life (aside from the occasional tongue-in-cheek reference). In other words, I do not document any real events. That said, there are elements of my subconscious dream-world and various desires that sneak onto the canvases.

Art can be equally important to art collectors. A collector has a chance to participate in the artist's dreams and desires, help celebrate the beautiful and noble, or safely experience the darker corners of society. A collector has a chance to support artists so they have the ability to produce art and perfect their craft. Again, it may seem odd to sell art in these troubling times, but it is the best time for a collector to collect. If you ever thought about collecting art, now is a golden opportunity. Thanks to the technology of the Internet, it's not even necessary to see the art in person. For example, I host a virtual gallery on my website in case anyone is unable to go out in person because of their high-risk health status.

So, yes, the pandemic is bad and there is much collateral damage caused by the various solutions to fight it despite the best efforts of humankind. Nevertheless, at the end of the day, I have faith that we, as a people, as a state, as a country, as a world, are resilient and industrious. There will be a time where we will say “That was tough, but look what came of it.”

Lee Lanier is a contemporary figurative painter who lives in Boulder City, Nevada, and paints in Las Vegas, Nevada. His colorful paintings breath new life into historical, literary, and mythological characters. Lee transitioned to painting after working professionally as an animator for more than 25 years. He spent time at Walt Disney Studios and DreamWorks and directed a series of Avant-garde short films that have screened at 200 film festivals, museums, and galleries worldwide. Lee is also the co-founder and President of the Dam Short Film Festival, an internationally recognized event. To see his work, visit Lee-Lanier-Paints.com or find him on Instagram at @leelanierpaints.

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Kathleen KuoFebruary 22, 2021FComment