Mobile Photography and Art Interview – Hope In Adversity Interview with Peter Wilkin from Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom

I am self-isolating at the moment together with my two children ages 12 & 13 (my wife is a nurse & needs to continue working). So, given that I usually have weekdays to myself I actually have less time to create art. My focus has necessarily changed, in that I need to feed the bairns & oversee their virtual schoolwork that they now access on line. And stop them from squabbling. A lot!

Not so much my style but definitely my focus. When I create a piece of art I’m often prompted by a strong feeling or something I’ve read, usually a poem. However, Covid19 has more or less dominated my thoughts over the past few weeks &, likewise, the content of my art.

I always have an initial (but often quite vague) idea of how I intend to create a piece of art, although I do tend to wander off the footpath into the woods as the image begins to emerge. Additionally, there is often a degree of ambiguity in the finished piece. Since the ‘arrival’ of the virus I’m now consciously driven to create a piece of art that, hopefully, shouts out my message loud & clear.

Indeed! The emotions generated within me are pretty constant & impossible to ignore: anxiety, bewilderment, sadness, anger, frustration … with pockets of heartfelt happiness each time someone counters the negativity with love & kindness. Creative ideas ~ fuelled by all these emotions ~ are actually stacking up inside me, waiting to be artistically expressed.

Well, I guess the first thing that springs to mind is the positivity & a sense of togetherness that reigns within all the online mobile art groups & the mobile art community in general. This definitely does help me in that I feel those others’ arms around me. When actually creating art I do find myself pausing at times, exploring feelings & making insightful connections throughout the whole process.

Yes! Absolutely! Much of the content of people’s artwork & the accompanying text demonstrates their desires not only for a speedy resolution to the health crisis but also for peace & unity between people & countries. Each image feels like a gift that is given to please, to bring pleasure. This unconditional giving flows through our community. It brings us together. We are flooded with the joy that art brings & we’re not afraid to say so. We sit & gaze upon it through our small screens; it washes over us and we come to realise that the end of art is, indeed, peace.

The current, worldwide health (& subsequent financial) crisis has become a metaphor for the degeneration of the human race: “Degeneration of a civilisation that has served its time … the matrix of being together has become unhappy” (Michel Maffesoli)

Like Maffesoli, my hope is that this pandemic serves as a prompt & becomes an awakening. Or, as Easter time approaches, a resurrection of sorts where the influential & leaders of countries rediscover the qualities & purpose of how the continuing existence & future happiness of our race depends upon being & becoming together. We can but hope …

A heartfelt thank you to you Joanne & to each & every artist worldwide for giving so much of your self every time you make public your art. Love & light to you all ~

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