connecting virtually with art!

​During the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is good to step back and take a breather. One of the ways that Jezuba is helping the community is through virtual art sessions.
 
Living in quarantine can be difficult, especially for those who are at high risk and need to isolate themselves continuously. Those living in nursing homes have to separate themselves from family members and friends, which can be difficult both for the residents and for their families. We want to try and help people grow together despite the social distancing.

Iris Hsu, Jezuba’s artist in residence and co-founder, was the art instructor for these events, and Kristine Huynh, Jezuba’s outreach manager, organized the event.​  Art can heal and bring a community together, and that is why we have chosen to help teach art to residents of KinOn, a nursing home in Seattle, WA.  We have already hosted two art sessions for the residents, and hope to continue hosting more art events both for KinOn and for other communities. Our goal for the art sessions was to connect with them and show them that we care about their well-being while maintaining physical distance. ​

Iris demonstrated how to paint a beautiful sunset painting to the KinOn residents using a method simple enough to match the residents’ skill level within the one hour art session. The residents greatly enjoyed the experience, and all of them were able to create equally bright and beautiful paintings.

Kristine worked behind the scenes to ensure that the technical experience and event timing worked smoothly. Although there were some technical difficulties in the beginning, she explained, “Iris conducted the paint session for KinOn very well.”
 
To continue helping communities during this pandemic, we are planning to host future virtual art event. We hope to continue spreading the joy of art, for this event and all future ones, even while quarantined in our homes.


Gavin Cartier
Content Strategists

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