Report from Seattle: Urban sketching in the age of COVID-19

[By Tina Koyama in Seattle] Toward the end of this week after the first COVID-19 deaths in
King County, Washington (the first deaths in the US), had been announced, I was
feeling very glum. Up until that news, the Terrible Silent Killer was an ocean
away in Asia and Europe. I had been concerned and wary, but not distressed.
Suddenly, the Killer could be sitting next to me on the bus, handling the apple
I was about to put in my cart or opening any door ahead of me.

On Thursday I quarantined myself at home as officials urged us
to avoid “large groups” (defined as 10 or more) and keep our distance from
others. Seventy percent isopropyl alcohol became the only thing between me and
every deadly bug in the universe. The University of Washington announced that it was cancelling classes – the first US college to do so. Meanwhile, the
other USk Seattle admins and I were discussing by email whether to cancel scheduled
sketch outings. It was downright depressing.

Today I had a few errands to take care of, so I went out
into the maelstrom of nastiness that was surely swirling all around me. My
first stop was the Green Lake public library to return a book; thankfully, I
could use the drive-up bin and avoid facing all those germy staffers and patrons
inside!

Before contaminating myself by opening the bin, I thought I’d
try to find a sketch from the parking lot. I’m used to sketching from my car – I
do it every winter – but this day felt different. Sequestered in my car out of
fear was a terrible way to sketch, and I felt more depressed than ever.

Just then, I spotted a small tree just beginning to blossom –
a pink spot of hope on a bleak, gray day. COVID-19 be damned. If this is the
way I must sketch on location, so be it.

Sketchers in countries affected by the coronavirus – how are
you coping? How do you keep fear from stopping you from urban sketching? Please
share your sketches and ideas!