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Quaranzine: Issue 1

April 3, Arlington County Staff Edition

Quaranzine is a weekly collection of creative works from the Arlington community that documents how we responded to this strange time we find ourselves in. Submit your own work.

Photo of street diorama with rubber rats holding signs in Old Town Alexandria.
Alex Zealand, "Rats for Social Distancing" - Street diorama with rubber rats holding signs. Photographed in Old Town Alexandria.
A group of us from HR went down to AFAC to give them a gloved hand during the CORONA time as they were hurting in number of volunteers.
Aline Brito, "AFACting in Times of Quarantine" - A group of us from HR went down to AFAC to give them a gloved hand during the CORONA time as they were hurting in number of volunteers.
I like to research and find out more when I'm anxious and feel I don't have control. Questions like, have we gone through something like this in the past? The answer is always yes, in a way. Plague Doctors look scary, but I encourage you to look closer; they were doctors. They were there on the front lines to diagnose and help. The beak of the mask was filled with flowers and herbs often thought to chase away the bad smells of disease. The stick or cane was used for social distancing and for examining. The round hat was the symbol of a doctor at this time. Of course, this was before germ theory. I wanted to draw and play with ink to get my mind off of our current situation, but still remember that we have survived.
Brit Austin, "The Doctor" - I like to research and find out more when I'm anxious and feel I don't have control. Questions like, have we gone through something like this in the past? The answer is always yes, in a way. Plague Doctors look scary, but I encourage you to look closer; they were doctors. They were there on the front lines to diagnose and help. The beak of the mask was filled with flowers and herbs often thought to chase away the bad smells of disease. The stick or cane was used for social distancing and for examining. The round hat was the symbol of a doctor at this time. Of course, this was before germ theory. I wanted to draw and play with ink to get my mind off of our current situation, but still remember that we have survived.
Brittany Ham, "A Timeline of my Self-Quarantine Sweets" - A visual timeline of all the sweets I've made completely from scratch in the past two weeks!
6 panel cartoon about a guinea pig who has a scary face and scares off potential friends.
Clea Counts, "Herman the Guinea Pig Monster"
When I was a teenager, I painted this scene on the cinder block wall of my parents’ basement. For 50+ years, The Caterpillar smoked his hookah and watched the world go by. His hookah smoking days may be coming to an end. The house was sold last week and the new owners might not be hip enough to handle it. The picture was taken on March 24, 2020.
Diane Kresh, "What a Difference 14 Years Makes" - When I was a teenager, I painted this scene on the cinder block wall of my parents’ basement. For 50+ years, The Caterpillar smoked his hookah and watched the world go by. His hookah smoking days may be coming to an end. The house was sold last week and the new owners might not be hip enough to handle it. The picture was taken on March 24, 2020.
Hannah Axt, "How to Make a Hand Sanitizer Mini Piñata " - Click on image for link to pdf instruction.
I've decided to start making daily sketches of things in & around my home. This was my first sketch (3/29/2020) and I hope to continue this practice until this pandemic passes.
Janelle Ortiz, "Pothos Sketch" - I've decided to start making daily sketches of things in & around my home. This was my first sketch (3/29/2020) and I hope to continue this practice until this pandemic passes.
Photo of a beautiful fall tree, superimposed with the words "The world feels like it’s falling apart. And, honestly, it is. I’ve been overwhelmed with anxiety, some days to the point that I can barely function. I feel like I want to help more, but I'm also paralyzed because even venturing to the grocery store causes a panic attack. It’s hard to imagine what the world will be like when this is over, especially because there are a lot of people who are dying, who know people who are dying, who are losing their jobs, who are struggling to survive. I want to believe people who are staying optimistic and saying that we’ll get through this, but the truth is that a lot of people won’t. I’m trying not to be overwhelmed with anxiety and hopelessness. I’m trying to do what I can to help people in whatever way I’m able. I’m trying to balance my feelings of guilt of not being able to do more with the knowledge that I need to do what I can to make sure I’m ok. I think we’re all trying to find the right balance. I think it’s good to maintain the optimism that we’ll get through this—that the sun will still rise for most of us, that the trees that have been bare all winter will continue to bloom, that not everything is terrible. But our world has been cracked in a way that is not going to heal fully, and we need to recognize that too. Then we need to figure out how to live in that world."
Katelyn Attanasio, "Reparo"
Liz Laribee, "Apologies I've Made to My Partner This Month vol. 1" - Remorse gets really specific in quarantine.
Carved face yawning, or screaming, with ivy growing around it.
Maria Lauron, "Ivy Face" (editor's note: #mood)
I made this for a friend who is having a lot happen in her life, in addition to what we're all living with. She's not the type to sit quietly and wait for something to be resolved. She's a fixer and a doer and I know how our current world and the necessity of just waiting is wearing on her. Going through this is requiring a quiet kind of courage and I wanted her to know that I see that in her.
Megan Biggins, "OK" - I made this for a friend who is having a lot happen in her life, in addition to what we're all living with. She's not the type to sit quietly and wait for something to be resolved. She's a fixer and a doer and I know how our current world and the necessity of just waiting is wearing on her. Going through this is requiring a quiet kind of courage and I wanted her to know that I see that in her.
A neighborhood birthday party in the time of coronavirus.
Patricia Loverich, "Happy Birthday James" -A neighborhood birthday party in the time of coronavirus.
My submission is inspired by a book in our library catalog called What I Lick Before Your Face: And Other Haikus by Dogs by Jamie Coleman. I decided to write a haiku in the voice of my dog, with the content of the poem being inspired by the lazy dog picture
Peg Owen, "Haiku-In the Voice of Cheety" - My submission is inspired by a book in our library catalog called What I Lick Before Your Face: And Other Haikus by Dogs by Jamie Coleman. I decided to write a haiku in the voice of my dog, with the content of the poem being inspired by the lazy dog picture
Oh quarantine beard! You lost patch of shrubs. How nice of you to let me down when allI asked is for you to show up. Oh quarantine beard! I know you’re doing your best. Social distancing? More like social misstancing. Stay six feet away from your group. Oh quarantine beard! At least it’s just me. It’s not like everyone in every Zoom happy hour. Can see what we’re trying to do. Oh quarantine beard! Remember Conan O’Brien? He disappeared for like two weeks one time. And came back much thicker than you. Oh quarantine beard! Here comes the fifth stage. They took away the gyms, schools, and stores. So I’m giving up my razor blades. Oh quarantine beard!We’re in for the long run, I guess. We’ll get through this together until June tenth When you’re off to a farm upstate.
Pete Petruski, "My Friend the 3 O'clock Shadow" - A poem about a very first world problem and minor disappointment of the social isolation era.
Creating mandalas pulls me out of my analytical mind for a moment and gives me a sense of wholeness.
Ruth Compton, "And Just for a Moment: Wholeness" - Creating mandalas pulls me out of my analytical mind for a moment and gives me a sense of wholeness.
Submit to Quaranzine

The next deadline for submissions to Quaranzine is Thursday, April 9. 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Oh my goodness! The creativity, generosity of spirit, and humor that shines through in these pieces is an inspiration! Thank you, Arlington County staff for an awesome first issue of Quaranzine! Such an awesome idea and so well-executed.

  4. Thank you to the artists for a bit of levity as well as reflection in this uncertain time.

  8. May I share the poem “Reparo”. I’ll give credit to author.

    • Katelyn says that’s fine if it’s for personal use. If it’s for a commercial publication, you will need to contact her in person. Let me know here, and I can email you directly in needed.

      • A message for Katelyn: It’s not easy. It’s a time to remember Rumi, “The wound is the place where the light enters you.” <3

  10. This was so much fun to look and and then go back and look again., Thanks to all the creative folks who contributed and to those who arranged and sent it out to us in the quaranzine locality.

  11. Thanks for this. I am so appreciative of the talent the contributors show. It was a lovely break from the (now) usual down stuff I get on my emails.

  13. Thank you for these creative reflections. PLEASE post the pages of instructions for the amazing Coronavirus piñata! !

    • Rebecca,
      If you click or tap on the image of Amy’s piñata, the link to download the instructions is in the footer.

  14. What thoughtful gestures of a community coming together during this time when we are separated a minimum of six feet.
    Sending virtual hugs to the participants and organizers of the first Quaranzine issue🤗🤗🤗

  15. Thank you for your inspiration! I miss be able to go the library; e-books are not the same as holding a real book.

  16. I love the dog haiku! All of the dogs in our neighborhood look so much happier.

  17. Thank you all the way from Yakima Neighborhood Health Services in Washington where we are creating “activity kits” for youth unable to come to our resource centers.

    • Greetings to the Yakima Neighborhood in Washington State from Arlington Virginia – stay safe!

  19. What a wonderful addition to our lives! “Fresh Ink,” as it might be. Love the title. Thanks to the instigators and the contributors.

  20. This is amazing. Thank you so much, from both is artist-types who need to feel connected and productive, and us consuming-types who appreciate the talent and community around us!

  21. I love this and am encouraging my kids to submit some of their work. I might even submit some of mine! Keep up the good work that brings a little sunshine into our days!

  23. How amazing you all are! What a wonderful community we live in! Thank you so very much to the staff and the contributors with their fantastic submissions. I loved it all and am looking forward to the next issue!!

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