....... by Bill Hudson

In my backyard are tomato plants, blueberry bushes, strawberries, grape vines, and blackberry shrubs. They all produce fruit, but my young grandkids only get excited picking blackberries. It's curious, since blackberries grow in a thicket of branches covered with sharp prickles guaranteed to be painful. Comparatively, picking any other fruit is without adversity.

The attraction of a huge ripe blackberry within arm's reach is irresistible to a kid. And if he successfully picks it, the taste is obviously worth the risk. That kid is eating it before he's reaching for the next "whopper."

And so it is with life ... a constant series of risk-versus-reward decisions. COVID-19 has made this obvious to the most oblivious.

Last year, I stopped participating in outdoor art shows. I began 2020 joining two galleries, Gallery Andrea in Scottsdale, AZ and Cove Gallery in Laguna Beach, CA. But after only three months in both, the coronavirus had hit. The Cove closed their doors, and I withdrew from Scottsdale which came under restricted shutdown. Even though I was no longer a participant, nearly every outdoor show was also cancelled.

I investigated many online galleries and, within the last two months, joined Singulart and Saatchi Art. Both sell original art. I had a quick sale on Singulart confirming my decision to sell on alternate venues. I also joined the Hugo Rivera Gallery in downtown Laguna operating with a "Masks Only" restriction. I love Laguna Beach, but this summer has been far different from those of the past. The big three art festivals (Sawdust, Art-A-Fair, and Festival of Arts) were cancelled along with the world-famous Pageant of the Masters.

The internet has already changed our lives and is having even greater impact since COVID. Industries, venues, and occupations have emerged, been replaced, or adapted to the change.

For artists, there are fields of fruit to be picked out there. The best may be through the thorny thickets of the internet.

"Retired"