CBC Covid Residencies

On a B.C. island, repetition helps this sculptor deal with her COVID-19 anxiety

Lise Hosein · CBC News · April 1, 2020

(CBC Arts)

In our self-shot video series COVID Residencies, we're checking out how artists are adapting their practices in isolation, whether it's diving into different processes or getting lost in their sketchbooks.

A while back, we brought you the story of ceramic sculptor Susannah Montague. On Bowen Island, B.C., Montague usually makes ornate (and sometimes dark) works, letting barnacles fasten to them when she submerges them in the sea.

Now, though, working in her usual way feels a bit overwhelming as she thinks about the resources available on her island and what to do if her family requires medical assistance. It's an anxiety-inducing series of ruminations, so Montague has shifted her art practice to help her cope with the realities of life during social isolation.