Art in the Time of Coronavirus

Hey there readers! We know it’s been a while, but there’s been a lot going on, both in the world and in our own lives. But now we find ourselves socially distanced at home, and longing for our communities. We’ll try to be a bit more active here in the coming weeks, building digital bridges to each other to replace the physical connections we’ve all had to put aside for the greater good. We’re glad you’re here!

As things escalated here in the US recently, many events have been cancelled, postponed indefinitely or otherwise upended. While this is no fun for fans who were looking forward to Con Season, it is devastating for our artist friends, who rely heavily on personal interactions at cons for most of their annual income. As we have watched more and more cancellations roll in, we’ve also seen more and more of our artist friends struggling to find new ways to replace that critical income without endangering their health. It’s been hard to watch, and we want to contribute to a solution! In challenging and scary times, we need artists more than ever, and if history is any lesson, we will emerge from this current pandemic with a lot of amazing and important art. But only if we enable those artists to create, instead of struggling to eat.

So, are you wondering what you, humble internet geek, can do to support artists in these dark and turbulent times? We’re so glad you asked! Below are a few of the many ways you can help support the artist community.

Buy Art

Now, we now this seems like an extremely flippant statement. But we really mean it. Buy some art! That favorite artist you planned to see at ECCC or WonderCon? They have a website/etsy/gumroad/online shop where you can find out what they have available, or if they are open for commissions. Shop around and spend a little cash. It’s something to look forward to as we slowly succumb to cabin fever, a way to add a splash of literal and figurative color to our lives. It’ll be good for your mental health, and keep the lights on for people just trying to put beauty into the world.

Become a Patron

Being a patron of the arts has a long, and often fascinating, history to be sure. In 2020, it’s not the province of the aristocratic elite anymore. Maybe you don’t have the disposable funds to go on that crazy shopping spree and buy every print your favorite artists have posted. Don’t worry! You can still provide much needed support in smaller doses. Many artists maintain a Patreon, are running a Kickstarter campaign, or otherwise accept ongoing support via ko-fi or other micro-donation sites. This is a great way to give your artist friends that little boost, and if we all kick in what we can, then they can keep the studio lights on, or get out to buy groceries. So go find out what the artists in your corner of the geeky community are doing and give them your support.

Signal Boost

Look, not everyone has even a few bucks to spare. Artists aren’t the only ones potentially out of work for an unknown amount of time. Americans in particular are facing down the nightmare of a services based economy that’s slowly shutting down, with great uncertainty on when it’ll start back up again. Saving your money right now is a completely reasonable response! But there is still plenty you can do. After the rampant success of hashtags like #ECCCOnline, many artists are leaning heavily on social media to promote their online shops, commission availability or virtual cons. Share, retweet and boost those hashtags. Help get their posts in front of folks who do have the financial ability to make a purchase or commission a piece.

One More Thing….

These are incredibly unnerving days to be living through. Please, please be kind to one another. Respect the answers you get from artists who say they don’t have another commission slot, or are out of stock of something, or are struggling to make shipping deadlines. Respect that not everyone likes the same styles, or mediums, and focus on lifting up the artists you love, not knocking down the ones who don’t flip your pancakes.

Sisters in Geek Official Non-Comprehensive List of Artists

Everyone has different types of art and artists they want to support! That’s what makes both the world and the internet a great place [you know, when it’s not a horrific hellscape]. Below are 10 artists we follow and wanted to signal boost on this post. It’s in no way complete, comprehensive or instructional. It’s a list of some of the many people we adore who are trying to make the world a less terrible place. Come into the comments or join us on social media to boost yourself, or the art you love!

• https://www.monkeyminionpress.com/
• https://megk.bigcartel.com/
• https://www.voidmerch.net/
• https://shakespeareofthrones.com/
• https://benbyrd.com/
• https://www.natrodgers.com/
• https://linktr.ee/greenleafgeek
• https://www.etsy.com/shop/asunnydisposish
• https://critbard.com/
• https://icecreamdice.com/