100 Days of COVID-19, Day 63

My Art in the Time of a Pandemic

Sonnet VII

Page from my newest book Gracious Light, completed 6/1/2020

Today I finished another book for my series Love Sonnets, From Shakespeare to Baltimore. My primary inspiration for this project is literary: I am fascinated with Shakespearean sonnets, the fourteen-line masterpieces structured like logical arguments about the emotions influenced by love and hate.

The secondary inspiration for this project is fashion history: I am interested in historical textiles and their social, economic, and cultural significances.

*Coronavirus Disease 2019:
Update in Maryland- 6/1/2020

5,327 confirmed cases

2,552 deaths 3,782 recovered

Update in New York State - 6/1/2020

371,711 confirmed cases

29,917 deaths 66,110 recovered

Total in United States: 1,811,370 confirmed cases, 105,165 deaths
Total Worldwide: 6,265,496 confirmed cases, 375,526 deaths

* All numbers are taken from Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center

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On The Verge, 2024

This month I celebrated my 23rd year creating original imagery and art for theaters by taking my mom and husband to a local production of Eric Overmyer's play On The Verge or The Geography of Yearning . On The Verge was the first play that I created illustrations and art for the production's posters and the theater's exhibition gallery. It was great to see this play more than two decades later. A bit of trivia: On The Verge premiered in Baltimore in 1985 at Baltimore Center Stage Theater. Working on this play and Aristophanes Clouds in Italy, are two of my all time favorites. Photo: Fells Point Corner Theatre Production, Baltimore, MD 2024

Flowers For Mistress Overdone, 2024

Coded Threads: Translating Shakespeare Through Art The following is a page from Flowers For Mistress Overdone , the first of two books that I presented at the Folger Shakespeare Library on Nov 16. The pages for the books are created with textiles from 5 continents (Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and North America). The textiles were collaged and sewn into various designs. The fabric on the left is a collage of American and Tanzanian fabrics that I combined with one of my linocuts. The fabric on the right was an original mid century modern English quilt top I purchased at London's Antique Quilt Company during my summer in the UK researching Shakespeare's texts. The owner, Christopher, sources the highest quality textiles and it was truly a joy to transform this quilt into pages of my books inspired by Shakespeare's Measure For Measure. It was wonderful to present a few of my original artworks and embroidered books during my talk at the Folger Shakespeare Library....

Abstract Art: Climbing Erupting Volcanoes

t rying to understand where I stand in the universe acrylic on board, 2012 My process: It begins with a dream or a feeling that won't let me rest. The colors are vivid, usually 8 or more. When I get the blank white canvas, I narrow the colors to 4, selecting the most difficult hues to work with. I never know the exact final forms. I just follow my hands, trusting them to reveal the invisible. Suzanne Coley

Baltimore Sonnets

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