Covid19 Interview - Scott Ponemone

Capturing the humanity of people together.

In this interview with Maryland watercolor painter and blogger Scott Ponemone you’ll catch a glimpse of his creative process and shift of focus in this season. Scott’s paintings and writing about his 2018 residency in Tetouan can be found on his blog here and here. This post is part of a series of interviews with former Artists in Residence at Green Olive Arts asking how this season of social distancing and postponed cultural mobility has impacted them.

Green Olive Arts AiR Interview with Scott Ponemone

How have you had to flex or pivot your art practice in this unprecedented season of home confinement? What are you currently working on in your studio at home?

My studio is in my home. So I have been able to continue working, i.e. painting. Initially (when the stay-at-home orders began) I worked on images based on photos I took a year or two ago. But once I got used to wearing a mask outside, I approached pairs of people (always strangers) to model for me. Fortunately, one nearby weekly farmers market has stayed open. That’s where I’ve been finding my subjects. So far, every couple that I asked to model have agreed to do so, and two mask-wearing watercolors have been completed as part of my ongoing “2BY2” couples series.

I’ve also put out feelers to two area hospitals: the famous Johns Hopkins Hospital and Mercy Hospital (the latter in walking distance). Just seconds ago, a P.R. person from Mercy has gotten back to me and has tentatively expressed interest in my request.

“M & P” – watercolor painting – May 2020 – by Scott Ponemone

What does creative community and/or social sanity look like for you right now? How are you staying connected and grounded?

I haven’t had direct contact with other artists since the lockdown. A number of galleries have had virtual openings. The classical music venues we subscribe to have offered concerts via streaming. As to friends and family, FaceTime and WhatsApp video calls have been especially appreciated. I’ve hosted Zoom meetings twice week with my three sisters. Occasionally some of their grown children have joined in. The weekly Al-anon meeting I regularly attend has also continued via Zoom.

Scott’s painting studio May 2020

What insights about creativity in a time of crisis can you share with other artists? What have you been learning?

Since my art attempts to reflect the world around me in the form of the people I come across, I felt like a bit of an imposter by painting from images that originated in before-COVID times. (I even think we’re all going to have internal calendars that mark before-COVID-19 (BC-19) and after-COVID-19 times (AC-19). A 21st century equivalent to BC and AD (or BCE and CE if you’re Jewish).) So it was incumbent upon me to get over the discomfort of wearing a mask and return to the streets to ask pairs of folks to model for me. How else could I keep my art relevant to these harrowing times? If there is any insight to share in this regard, it would be: Keep your creativity alive by asking your muse: “What can I contribute to the world today?”

Scott Ponemone-at home-11Ma2020