With our Gallery now reopened, it’s tempting for us here at Tory Folliard Gallery to start looking further down the road. At the same time, we recognize the importance of continuing to respond to—and to learn from—the current moment. 

We asked our artists how they and their communities are responding to the "New Normal." Washington based artist, Anne Siems, opened up about the recent mural she completed in Seattle amidst the COVID crisis. 

"When asked to do a mural by Kathleen Warren of Overall Creative, I jumped at the chance to work larger than I ever have. I wanted to add something of beauty and meaning during the time of the pandemic."

"I had first painted Beauty+Terror a few months prior.  A section from Go to the Limits of Your Longing, the poem by Rainer Maria Rilke, was part of the woman’s tattoo, and it held personal meaning for me. But with the pandemic in mind, it suddenly touched on something we are all experiencing all over the world: the terror of death and isolation, as well as the beauty that has ensued from going into almost stillness, into the quiet, as just about everything has been canceled that made our lives up to now, noisy, busy and often quite stressful."

"Working on the mural was both exhilarating and extremely stressful.

As a woman, working with your back to the street in a neighborhood that has its rough edges, would be tense in regular times, but during the coronavirus, this was magnified, as folks would come up close, kicked down or disregarded my barrier material, or simply showed their disgruntlement at having to move to the side. Despite that, I would welcome another opportunity to do another one and let art rule the streets of Seattle."

As we keep a keen eye on what’s to come, Tory Folliard Gallery will continue to share what our artists are working on amidst the "New Normal." We're excited to share quotes, videos, news, and more ideas with you along this journey. 

Until next time, be well and stay safe! 

-Tory Folliard Gallery