James Paxton worked for many years as an art and design teacher. He is expert with lino cutting. He crafted the pictures below to capture the emotional experience of the pandemic.
Image 1 – “Drowning”
This is an image of how I considered the world to be feeling at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Overwhelmed, frightened and helpless, losing stability, routines and in many cases family.
It is of course only a personal view.
The deep blue copy is my favourite!
Image 2 – “Yellow”
The second is called “Yellow” and represents the fear of everything that completely immobilised the country.
Image 3 – “Lifted”
By the latter part of the pandemic I felt Covid-19 had left in its wake a big useless pile of rubbish. Death, depression, unemployment, children lacking basic educational skills.
“Lifted” attempts to visualise how things began to “fly” again, people began to go to work, children began to go to school.
It’s an image of hope and liberty!
Image 4 – “Beginning”
This is the start of an optimistic series about a fresh start, post pandemic.
“Beginning” is a woodland that is simple, colourful and happy. This work is meant to be decorative and joyful.
None of this particular work is made to sell. It’s both personal and difficult for some to digest. I do sometimes sell work, but I am not motivated or particularly interested in profit. However, if work can evoke an emotional response or make people smile, that is the best feeling of all.