Quarantine or painting class?

COVID-19 opened up a lot of free time for teens. When we were mandated to quarantine and stay home, many students were upset. We were used to going out and hanging with our friends on the weekends and going out to eat.

This was now not an option. It was difficult to find ways to entertain ourselves. We were doing on-line school but there was still a lot of extra time during the days and summer was right around the corner.

Luckily for me, I was able to discover a new passion of mine — art.

I asked my mom if she would order me some canvases and paints so I could start painting as a way to pass the time during those long days at home. One painting turned to five and five quickly turned to twenty. I began painting almost every day. Painting was a good way for me to unwind during a quistressful time.

I would paint album covers and get ideas off of  Pinterest. Pinterest has inspired a lot of my paintings. I soon began hanging my art up on my walls, my walls are now covered in art. My paintings were not only a fun way to spend time but also acted as a way for me to decorate my room.

My room has been something I have always wanted to decorate and turn into my own true space. When people come into my room my paintings are often the first thing they notice and it is really satisfactory to say, “Yeah, I painted those.”

When people started seeing my art they began asking me if I would be open to selling some paintings. I was indeed open to the idea and have sold multiple paintings to friends of mine. Painting turned into a lot more than just painting for me. Painting acted as almost a form of therapy, a way to make some money, and of course an easy yet fun way to pass the time.

Despite the negatives that COVID had, it also held some positives. If  the pandemic  had never happened, I doubt I would have ever even started painting because I would have been focused on school, sports, and studying.

There is always a way to find the good in the bad.