Archive for December 2020
The Getaway, Part 2
For a week near the end of September, my husband and I escaped to outer Cape Cod (see my previous post, The Getaway, Part 1). While walking in marshes, woods and on beaches, there were many times—seconds, minutes, maybe even an hour—of not thinking about the pandemic, job hunting, and related worries. One of our…
Read MoreThe Yellow Chairs
I bought the yellow chairs at a yard sale years ago. “They’re yard art,” a friend declared. But they didn’t fit well in my lumpy backyard, so they sat in the garage for many seasons. In the spring of 2020, we were fearfully getting used to socially-distanced visiting. I moved the yellow chairs from the…
Read MoreAlternative Mode 2 .2020
Since I’m not playing with other musicians in public during the pandemic, I find myself curating my own music. I’ve always liked this piece, which I wrote for my recital at the New England Conservatory—in 1973. We were getting excited back then by fusing jazz and rock! Stanley Sagov · Alternative Mode 2 .2020 …
Read MoreBreaking News: Pandemic Life in Suburban New Jersey
By late March early April 2020, I came to realize that everyday life in suburbia had changed. The streets were empty. Local stores were closing one after another. The virus was spreading into my community. People were wearing masks and latex gloves. Friends and relatives were afraid to meet up. Dinner plans were being cancelled.…
Read MoreSigns of Life
I am not one to notice signs. My friends and colleagues do; a feather on the ground points one towards making a major life decision, or a certain smell means a relative who’s passed is nearby. Me? There could be men from the airport tarmac in orange vests with DayGlo sticks pointing furiously in one…
Read MoreHoarding Food
In March, at the beginning of the pandemic, I felt a strong urge in my bones to start hoarding food. As I contemplated the packages holding the food that would feed us in a time of need, their design and meaning became more interesting to me. I began working with my empty paper food cartons…painting…
Read MoreA New York – Paris Visual Diary: The Human Face of Covid-19
(Ed. Note: A New York-Paris Visual Diary: The Human Face of Covid-19 is a stunning compilation of photographs that capture the story of the pandemic through the lens of a celebrated documentary photographer. You can purchase a limited signed special edition of the book at www.peterturnley.com for the special price of $60. Orders placed before…
Read MoreMasks of Boston, Part 2
My purpose in documenting mask wearing is to engender hope and a sense of pride in people. It is a fact that the safety measures now in place may be restrictive, but at the same they can instill in every individual a positive sense of community connection that provides a unique opportunity for people to…
Read MoreMA Teachers Protests—COVID-19
( Ed. Note: Documentary photographer Katherine Taylor took these photographs this past August as school districts were debating whether or not to open for the 2020-2021 school year. The images are just as relevant today since Covid cases across the country continue to spiral out of control and school districts once again are grappling with…
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