By Molly Stevens
NSNC Member
Like so many others, I experienced stress and anxiety at the onset of the COVID pandemic. As a fairly recent retiree, I had worked hard to find a satisfactory balance between full and empty slots in my calendar. I struggled when faced with an abundance of free time and a serious case of shelter-in-place blues. Fortunately, instead of worrying, learning calligraphy on YouTube, or sorting Tupperware lids, I turned to the Getty Museum challenge to help raise my spirits.
During my forty-year career as a registered nurse, I knew that humor and art could serve as emotional support during stressful times. I found that not only did re-creating works of art (with a twist of humor) give me something to do, it also brought me joy. Soon it became my ministry to spread this joy to others.
Comments from followers assured me that my ministry was indeed worthwhile:
I so delight in the creation of these wonderful works of art! Each one brings a smile to my face even on the darkest of days.You make the days bearable with your amazing re-creations and clever titles. This makes my heart happy!You are indeed sharing good medicine. Your creativity is going to be one of the things I remember about this time. You are a healer.
My husband, Patrick, could not have been more supportive. Sometimes he served as a photographer, and sometimes he appeared as a subject. Together we re-created about 30 works of art, many of which the Getty chose to publish on their Facebook page.
One of the biggest challenges in doing the recreations was to use materials available at home, but this was also what spurred the most creativity. A Raggedy Ann doll, a stuffed chicken, Mr. Potato Head, and toilet paper were frequently used props.
Paper towels became hats and ruffles for Van Gogh and El Greco re-creations. Patrick’s chamois shirt transformed into a turban for Jan van Eyck’s “Portrait of a Man in a Red Turban,” renamed “Portrait of a Quarantine Coiffe. ”Faux fur yarn became facial hair to portray Gustave Courbet’s “The Desperate Man,” renamed “The Whiskered Woman.” The doll I created to accompany my book Boomer on the Ledge became Andrew Wyeth’s “Christina’s World” in his work which I renamed “Quarantina’s World.” To view all of the re-creations, visit my Facebook page.
Many people have suggested I publish a collection of the art re-creations, but the fact that this project brought me and so many others a light moment during trying times is enough for me right now. In the meantime, I’m thrilled that Getty has selected my re-creation of Mona Lisa, for which I used a Raggedy Ann doll, for possible inclusion in their book commemorating the challenge. The book is tentatively titled Off the Walls: Inspired Re-creations of Iconic Artworks and will be issued by Getty Publications, the publishing operation of the J. Paul Getty Trust, in September 2020. Getty has committed to donating all profits from the book to a charity supporting art and artists.
Watch Molly talk to Fox 22 out of Maine here and as a guest on the podcast Blog Talk Radio here.
