Author: Taylor DiMaria

Getaway

Taylor DiMaria

2020 has been a year that everyone has been impacted by without any way to prepare for it. During the summer time, I was feeling like I needed to get out and breathe instead of being stuck in the house for months on end. I missed being able to freely go out and have new experiences without the fear of contracting Covid-19. My boyfriend and I came up with a solution, going to a Getaway cabin in the Catskills overnight, where you are given a tiny cabin with a forest view to relax and getaway from today’s current issues. This was a very safe and comforting experience and was socially distant from the other families around you. It was pet friendly so it was nice to bring our furry friend along with us.

Commission Work

Taylor DiMaria

With the success of my first few murals came the request for more commission work from the owner of the first company that I had done work for. He loved the vibrant colors and agreed that it brings positive feelings to the workspace, which I loved. The company is a chair company that specializes in high-end office chairs and the owner requested for me to do something that not many have done before- paint on an expensive, widely known chair. Since the previous work encompassed abstract, playful art with bright colors, I repeated the same formula to produce a piece that I think would work well with the chair. Since the new shutdown has been hard on me, I found that devoting my time to something that in return gives me more experience is a blessing. I hope to continue to gain a larger clientele as I continue to build my portfolio.

A New Medium

Taylor DiMaria

Murals have become a huge part of my artistic range and have found that it is actually extremely fun to do. This was the first ever full scale mural that I completed on my own and am extremely happy with the end result. Finding a way to bring brightness and color into these dark times has been extremely beneficial to my mental health as well as creating new discussion pieces for others to enjoy. This piece was the start of a newly developed style that I feel I have connected with during these past few months.

Expanding My Art

Taylor DiMaria

Earlier this summer, I got an offer to expand my portfolio by painting a mural for a local company in Bushwick. It was a great experience and loved getting to present my work on a huge canvas and plan out how a sketch would translate and add to the company’s workspace. I struggle from time to time with anxiety and this really helped me to get out of my head and work to create something beautiful during these extremely hard times.

Organization

Taylor DiMaria

As a very self-conscious person I like to be very organized in how I live my life and like to plan ahead in order to work out time for my personal life as well as my work and academic life. Making a planner and writing down what needs to be done allows me to understand how much time I need to put aside in order to get everything done. I also find that this tends to ease my anxiety and allows me to be more productive in my day to day life as opposed to just sitting around on my phone.

Starting the Day

Taylor DiMaria

Since the days have started to get colder and darker, one thing that I personally dislike about the colder months, I find that doing little things like making hot chocolate in the morning for my mother and I help to put me in a good mood for the rest of the day. Since there is not many things we can go out and do because of the current circumstances, I find that doing even the smaller things help to improve my days.

Establish A Routine

Taylor DiMaria

By establishing a daily routine for yourself, one can really benefit. A routine allows for some normalcy that we would normally have on any given day outside of the pandemic. Being stuck inside a small apartment or even house for long periods of time affects everyone differently, so it is beneficial to set small goals or agendas for your day to provide a sense of motivation when there seems to be no point. Since I am a full-time college student, my day is centered around my classes so I usually start my day about an hour before my classes begin, usually making my bed and my cup of coffee. I suggest making a list of things that are mandatory for you to do, whether for school or work, and then add in some extras to fill in the free space you have for the day.

Zoom

Taylor DiMaria

Transitioning from in-person classes was definitely unexpected upon the COVID outbreak but has its benefits- being able to take class in my pjs and actually having the time to make coffee before class time. Although Zoom can become very monotonous after long periods of time, I try my best to see the positives in it since, when are we ever going to be able to work fully from home outside of COVID.