COVID-19 has affected everyone over the world for the last [over a] year and a half. All too often we hear about the small businesses who have not managed to survive because of a lack of funding or resources. However, amongst these, we find others who have learned to adapt. I have interviewed local artist Arabella Brooke, to try and understand the pandemic from the perspective of someone who works in the art industry. 

 

Brooke is an artist based in West Acton, who, prior to the pandemic, worked mainly in sculpture, using predominantly wax and casting in bronze. After COVID-19 hit the UK, many foundries closed, meaning sculptures could not be cast and therefore many sculptures' main income source was left uncertain. On top of this, galleries, exhibitions and auctions were postponed, or closed and according to ‘artsy.net’, gallery sales dropped by 36% during the pandemic. 

 

The pandemic not only affected sculpture.  Most artists were forced into unstable circumstances, such as photographers (due to travel restrictions and lockdowns), printmakers and graphic designers (all public studios were shut down). However Brooke chose to look at this potentially limiting restrictions in a different way, choosing to approach this with an open mindset. Brooke saw these limitations and decided to adapt, ‘The pandemic hit my business at a relatively fortunate  moment in terms of the market for artists shifting towards more online methods and I decided to take advantage of this’, Brooke says, speaking of Instagram, and the possibility of online exhibitions, as well as the utilisation of personal websites through which to sell her art. 

 

Not only was this shift in marketing a new concept, Brooke also realised that she may have to take into consideration the possibility of sculpture not being feasible at all. Brooke decided to take advantage of being at home to start producing ink drawings at the kitchen table.  This has opened up a new market  that she has now continued to take advantage of, even as restrictions ease. Along with homeschooling her three children, Brooke managed to adjust her technique and continue her work. She says of her journey through the pandemic, ‘Though there were times where I was very unsure of what was to come, it has been a real learning opportunity, because it has forced me to take advantage of things, like Instagram, that I was unaware of before, and has really opened my eyes to new possibilities in my field.’


 

‘During lockdown, the drawings became the mainstay of my income’, says Brooke, who says that side of her business has slowed down somewhat since restrictions have eased, though the shift to Instagram she plans on keeping; ‘The drawings were easy to buy, not too expensive, and I think it gave people a lift when they arrived through the post.’, she says,  ‘Artists across the world connected through a new initiative called Artist Support Pledge, where artists pledged to spend a percentage of their sales on other artists’ work, and it was an amazing feeling to be part of such a vibrant and generous community.’. This modification of Brooke’s working style is an example of what many went through during COVID-19, and an inspiration in showing what is possible if we keep an open mindset to change.