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Connections: Short Story Writing Contest

Summer Reading 2020 - Open to Teens and Adults

Submission Dates: June 1 - August 14

Adults and teens are invited to submit a work of short fiction for consideration in Arlington Public Library’s second annual short story writing contest.

drawing on a fountain pen made up of dots

Entries will be judged by a committee of Arlington Public Library staff.

Prizes:

Prizes will be awarded for the top three entries in both the teen and adult categories, and the winning stories will be published on the Library website.

  • First place: $200 Visa Gift Card
  • Second place: $100 Visa Gift Card
  • Third place: $50 Visa Gift Card

Adult Contest Rules and Submission Guidelines:

  • Stories with a theme of “Connections” are encouraged.
  • Participants must be at least 18 years of age as of August 14, 2020, and eligible for an Arlington Public Library card.
  • All entries must be submitted online using the Library submission form.
  • Submissions must be received between June 1 and August 14, 2020.
  • Stories must be 3,000 words or less.
  • Only one story may be submitted per writer.
  • The submitted document should include a title page containing:
    • Story title
    • Author’s name
    • Address
    • Phone number
    • Email address
  • All stories must be original and previously unpublished.
  • Story content should be appropriate for a wide audience.

Teen Contest Rules and Submission Guidelines:

  • Participants must be between 13 and 17 years of age as of August 14, 2020 and eligible for an Arlington Public Library card.
  • All entries must be submitted online using the Library submission form.
  • Submissions must be received between June 1 and August 14, 2020.
  • Stories must be 1,200 words or less.
  • Only one story may be submitted per writer.
  • The submitted document should include a title page containing:
    • Story title
    • Author’s name
    • Author's age
    • Address
    • Phone number
    • Email address
  • All stories must be original and previously unpublished.
  • Story content should be appropriate for a wide audience.

Entries that do not meet the above guidelines will be disqualified from judging.

In addition, winning entrants agree to have their story published on the Arlington Public Library website.

Submissions Open Monday, June 1

Changes Ahead: A Message from the Library Director

Dear Friends,

For the past few weeks, staff of Arlington Public Library have been preparing for reopening. We have missed being at the Library and know you have, too.

As we move forward, all of us remain committed to our mission and to the health and safety of our library patrons, staff and volunteers. We will strive to bring you the best Library service possible, while limiting physical access.

Changes to our service are on the way:

  1. Holds – Starting mid-June, Arlington Public Library will offer a walk-in/walk-out service for hold pickups and book bundles in the auditorium at Central Library. Operating hours for the holds pickup service are being decided and we will communicate details as we have them. Computers, self-check stations, and meeting rooms will not be available for use. All branch locations will remain closed at this time; starting in mid-June returns will also be accepted via book drop at all branches.
  2. Masks – In accordance with Governor Ralph S. Northam’s Executive Order Number 63, both patrons and staff are required to wear masks and observe social distancing at all times when in a library building.
  3. Account System – We are upgrading the Library’s account system. This change has been long-planned and will enable us to serve you more effectively.
  4. Summer Reading – The Library’s annual Summer Reading Challenge will start June 1, and this year we’re going digital. Stay tuned for more details next week.
  5. Arlington READS – Continues virtually: In June, we will host a conversation with Brooke Gladstone, journalist, author, media analyst, and co-host and managing editor of the WNYC radio program “On the Media.” And in July, we are thrilled to present Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Colson Whitehead (“The Underground Railroad”and “The Nickel Boys”). Stay tuned for details; both programs promise to be lively and engaging.

We recognize there is no replacement for an in-person, full-service library experience. Over the years, the staff and I have been honored to serve the community of Arlington and have always tried to strike a balance between the high tech of our digital content and the high touch of our popular story times and author events. We cherish the relationships we have developed with each one of you and look forward to better times. Please know that we are thinking of all of you and that together, we will get through this.

We ask that you check our website and social media platforms on Facebook and Twitter for updates.

We are living in unprecedented times. Please send materials documenting your experience to the COVID-19 Archives Project and help tell Arlington’s story of the pandemic.

And we urge you to contribute to “Quaranzine,” our weekly Zine of poetry, photography, prose and drawings. We have been inspired by the creativity and artistry expressed in each issue.

Stay well and hopeful, we are here for you.

Signature of Diane Kresh

Diane Kresh

Director, Arlington Public Library

 

Rediscover The Arlington Post Office

If you live in Arlington County, you have the Arlington Post Office in Clarendon to thank for the name of your street.

Arlington County Rural Delivery Routes, Library of Congress, 1920.

After the boom of World War I, Arlington’s previously bucolic countryside began to develop into small sleeper communities, off-shoots from Washington, D.C. The rural roadways of Arlington evolved organically, along with the neighborhoods. They took unexpected turns, dead-ended, and had different names from one end to the other, using local neighborhood names rather than official ones. Among the more than 200 duplicate roads in Arlington in 1930, there were eight Arlington Avenues and two Arlington Streets, five Cedar Streets, five Maple Streets, three Hamilton Avenues, and ironically, two First Streets.

Much of the County was served by rural mail delivery from the Georgetown post office in Washington, whose service was unreliable partly because of the disconnected, changing, and unpredictable Arlington street names. The U.S. Postal Service required clear enumeration systems for properties to provide dependable service, so Arlington established a committee of citizens to create a coherent street naming system. This also provided an opportunity for the County to create a unified sense of identity for all its residents.

In September 1934, Arlington changed its street names to embrace an alphanumeric system which had latitudinal streets taking numeric names, and longitudinal streets taking alphabetical and syllable-based names. Since the County had not developed strictly along a grid system, many streets did not fall within this pattern, so some allowances were made for major thoroughfares whose names did not follow this standard.

This standardization of Arlington’s street names paved the way for a county-wide postal system, and within two years the sum of $200,000 was allocated for a new postal building whose service would cover everywhere from Georgetown to Glencarlyn. The land was purchased for $24,850 in August 1936 (equivalent to roughly $3.7 million in 2020) and by the end of that year designs for the building were already underway. Louis A. Simon, Supervising Architect of the Treasury, was the highest authority on the project; however, there were so many individual designers on the plans that no one author could be identified.

From a guide on Arlington’s complicated street system, Arlington County Department of Public Works “Arlington County Street Naming System,” September 1984.

The construction of the Post Office - first federal building in Arlington County - attracted a lot of attention. Thousands of people attended the May 1937 ceremony for the laying of the cornerstone after watching a 40-float parade. The Postmaster General, James Farley, and Arlington’s Congressman, Howard Smith, watched as the cornerstone was laid with same trowel that was used to lay the founding stone of the U.S. Capitol and Washington Monument.

The Sun noted on May 7, 1937, “The fact that Uncle Sam decided it was time to build us a ‘real’ post office means we are not the only ones who think we’re an important community.”

Construction moved quickly, and the office opened for business on December 13, 1937.

Laying the cornerstone for the Arlington Post Office, S.I. Markle, 1937. Courtesy of the Arlington Historical Society.

The architectural style of the Arlington Post Office (APO) is considered Georgian Revival, which is characterized by exaggerations and adaptations of the 18th-century Georgian style popular in New England. The Georgian style was denoted commonly by two-story rectangular buildings with five window/door openings on each floor and decorative embellishment around the central door.

The APO building is a common bond brick single-story with a full basement. The domed portico is a signature characteristic, flanked by stylized tri-partite (or Palladian) windows which are typical of Georgian design. The imposing throwback to classical architecture and the use of imposing fluted concrete columns at the entrance is typical of the 1930s style.

Arlington Post Office, 2018, Historic Preservation Program Archive

After the Great Depression, the Federal government began to invest in many infrastructure systems, both to provide jobs and to improve national morale. Although the Federal Art Project of the Works Projects Administration (WPA) is the best-known New Deal-era funding program, the murals in the Arlington Post Office were funded by the Treasury Department’s Section of Fine Art (The Section) which had been established by President Roosevelt in October 1934. Roosevelt had been inspired by a friend to develop The Section modeled after a Mexican project which paid artists to paint murals in government buildings.

Over nine years, The Section paid for 1,309 murals and 332 sculptures for courthouses and post offices nationwide. These were meant to depict America’s values - hard work and simple lifestyles - to encourage people during an era of economic hardship.

"I, too, have a dream - to show people in the out of the way places, some of whom are not only in small villages but in corners of New York City - something they cannot get from between the covers of books -some real paintings and prints and etchings and some real music." - Franklin Roosevelt to Hendrik Willem Van Loon, January 6, 1938

Auriel Bessemer won the national competition to paint the Arlington Post Office murals and based his images on local sites and occurrences. His painting style was characteristic of the Art Deco era. The scenes include picnicking at Great Falls, romanticized visualizations of the encounter of Native Americans and settlers, the lives of enslaved people in Virginia, and the apocryphal story of John Smith’s journey. Bessemer produced sanctioned work for the Federal Government, while also owning a progressive art gallery in Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C. and writing anti-fascist poetry, including the stanza “Prepare mankind, yet blind, for mutual slaughter.”

Auriel Bessemer, Tobacco Picking in the Late Colonial Era, 1940. Arlington Post Office Mural. 

Auriel Bessemer, Early Indian Life on Analostan Island, 1940. Arlington Post Office Mural.

The Arlington Post Office, renamed for County Board chair and Congressman Joseph L. Fisher in the 2000s, became an Arlington County Local Historic District in October 1984, which provided it with protections from demolition and unregulated exterior alterations. It was added to the honorary National Register of Historic Places in February 1986 for its role in creating a single Arlington identity, and for its distinctive architecture. As Clarendon grew, the landscape changed around the APO, transforming a mid-century single-story commercial streetscape into a growing multi-use corridor. When a site plan project was proposed adjacent to the historic building and its 1946 commercial neighbor (originally the Scheff Store, then the Dan Kain trophy store, now Lyon Hall), the Local Historic District status of both historic buildings protected them during redevelopment.

The Arlington County Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board (HALRB) helped preserve the single-story streetscape while allowing new development behind the historic buildings to provide commercial and residential density in the popular downtown area. During the development, the Keating Partners funded the restoration of the murals which were on display in the Arlington Public Library before they were returned to the post office.

Visit the original Arlington Post Office (once it is safe to) to patronize a mail center with an 83-year history, as well as to see the restored Treasury Department’s Section of Fine Art murals in place.

"Preservation Today: Rediscovering Arlington" is a partnership between the Arlington Public Library and the Arlington County Historic Preservation Program.

Preservation Today: Rediscovering Arlington
Stories from Arlington’s Historic Preservation Program

Arlington’s heritage is a diverse fabric, where people, places, and moments are knitted together into the physical and social landscape of the County.

Arlington County’s Historic Preservation Program is dedicated to protecting this heritage and inspiring placemaking by uncovering and recognizing all these elements in Arlington’s history.

To learn more about historic sites in Arlington, visit the Arlington County Historic Preservation Program.

Quaranzine: Issue 7

May 26: Keep Hope Alive

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.

A little humor and a reminder to look on the bright side.
Katrina Kubik, "Sunny Side Up" - A little humor and a reminder to look on the bright side.
I drew this piece during my time spent isolating due to our current situation. I've noticed a lot more families spending time together and I wanted to make that the main focus of this piece. I think it is a sweet thing that even during scary times of uncertainty, you can see new positives such as neighbors working together as a community, people trying new hobbies, or even the increased amount of time spent outdoors.
Sirena Pearl, "The Quarantine is Surreal" - I drew this piece during my time spent isolating due to our current situation. I've noticed a lot more families spending time together and I wanted to make that the main focus of this piece. I think it is a sweet thing that even during scary times of uncertainty, you can see new positives such as neighbors working together as a community, people trying new hobbies, or even the increased amount of time spent outdoors.
Here's #CatadayApril Day 25, modeled after the "cat tuba" meme.
Alexandra Bowman, "#CatADayApril, Day 25" - Here's #CatadayApril Day 25, modeled after the "cat tuba" meme.
This is a pencil portrait of my 2 year old son, Krish. All I need is a good photograph, my sketchbook, pencils, and a quarantine to speed things up and finish in record time!
Rohitha Bhushan, "Krish" - This is a pencil portrait of my 2 year old son, Krish. All I need is a good photograph, my sketchbook, pencils, and a quarantine to speed things up and finish in record time!
A poem about changes that need to be made.
Rashmi Dighe, "New Day" - A poem about changes that need to be made.
Early in the pandemic, I received a postcard from a friend that prompted a much needed laugh. So I decided to start making some DIY postcards to send to folks using stuff I had around--mostly The Post, scissors, glue, and some markers. It's become a bit of an obsession.
Pat Loverich, "Postcards from the Pandemic" - Early in the pandemic, I received a postcard from a friend that prompted a much needed laugh. So I decided to start making some DIY postcards to send to folks using stuff I had around--mostly The Post, scissors, glue, and some markers. It's become a bit of an obsession.
During my Social Isolation I continue to create montages of my various interests and businesses to put in my over 135 scrapbooks and share with my 2,600 plus friends on Facebook. I have also been going through my collection of over 20,000 photos and using Photoshop. I have created some works of personal art and again enjoy sharing. I encourage everyone who is bored and looking for something to do during this period of quarantine to get out all those old memories, diplomas, military experiences, sports & other heroics, articles, invitations, photos etc. to organize them and share with friends and family. This is a particularly fun project to share with children and grandchildren. All you need to do this type of project is a printer, a scanner, glue, construction paper, scissors, and a scrapbook or binder. This is a montage of all the cars I have owned over the years, beginning with my first peddle car, and the more recent additions to the collection including my 1957 Thunderbird. I might also mention that sharing the things in my scrapbooks on Facebook has brought interest from all kinds of media, including feature stories in Arlington Magazine and Northern Virginia Magazine.
Michael O'Harro, "Photo Montage of my Cars Over the Years" - During my Social Isolation I continue to create montages of my various interests and businesses to put in my over 135 scrapbooks and share with my 2,600 plus friends on Facebook. I have also been going through my collection of over 20,000 photos and using Photoshop. I have created some works of personal art and again enjoy sharing. I encourage everyone who is bored and looking for something to do during this period of quarantine to get out all those old memories, diplomas, military experiences, sports & other heroics, articles, invitations, photos etc. to organize them and share with friends and family. This is a particularly fun project to share with children and grandchildren. All you need to do this type of project is a printer, a scanner, glue, construction paper, scissors, and a scrapbook or binder. This is a montage of all the cars I have owned over the years, beginning with my first peddle car, and the more recent additions to the collection including my 1957 Thunderbird. I might also mention that sharing the things in my scrapbooks on Facebook has brought interest from all kinds of media, including feature stories in Arlington Magazine and Northern Virginia Magazine.
John Conroy, "COVID Postcards"
The state of the union in the age of the global COVID-19 pandemic is sorely lacking direction. Our union needed to be prepared to act swiftly, but aside from a few other countries, this was not so. It is said "we are all in this together," but alas, this is not how many in our union are acting. If we do not act together, we will have no union left when we reach the other side.
Jennifer Beinhacker, "The State of the Union" - The state of the union in the age of the global COVID-19 pandemic is sorely lacking direction. Our union needed to be prepared to act swiftly, but aside from a few other countries, this was not so. It is said "we are all in this together," but alas, this is not how many in our union are acting. If we do not act together, we will have no union left when we reach the other side.
Poster art: Acrylic painting on Poster. “Seeing colors of creativity in 2020” Seeing and giving feeling to emotions using art to express The inner thoughts on social and emotional response to the current epidemic happening the world today.
Jennie Lovelace, "2020 Spectrum" - Poster art: Acrylic painting on Poster. “Seeing colors of creativity in 2020” Seeing and giving feeling to emotions using art to express The inner thoughts on social and emotional response to the current epidemic happening the world today.
I never thought that RuPaul's Drag Race would be helping me keep track of the days of the week, but here we are. New episodes on Fridays have helped punctuate the end of each week. Here is fan art of my favorite queen this season, Jaida Essence Hall. The runway theme was "Stars & Stripes."
Janelle Ortiz, "Jaida Essence Hall" - I never thought that RuPaul's Drag Race would be helping me keep track of the days of the week, but here we are. New episodes on Fridays have helped punctuate the end of each week. Here is fan art of my favorite queen this season, Jaida Essence Hall. The runway theme was "Stars & Stripes."
Many Arlingtonians are lucky to be in a position to contribute by staying at home during this pandemic. This painting represents how quickly that routine can feel like “Groundhog Day.”
Jacqueline Acker, "Groundhog Day" - Many Arlingtonians are lucky to be in a position to contribute by staying at home during this pandemic. This painting represents how quickly that routine can feel like “Groundhog Day.”
An abstract piece done in pen and ink with watercolor markers on mixed media paper. This piece is an example of one of the ways I've been dealing with this quarantine: through highly detailed, Zentangle-inspired art.
Hannah Foster, "Coral Roses" - An abstract piece done in pen and ink with watercolor markers on mixed media paper. This piece is an example of one of the ways I've been dealing with this quarantine: through highly detailed, Zentangle-inspired art.
In this time of quarantine, nature, even in our urbanized county, is fully available at all times, providing both solace and a space for reflection. My experience of the dusk, with its mellow light and late-singing birds is uplifting, but tinged with melancholy now.
Gregory Luce, "May Dusk" - In this time of quarantine, nature, even in our urbanized county, is fully available at all times, providing both solace and a space for reflection. My experience of the dusk, with its mellow light and late-singing birds is uplifting, but tinged with melancholy now.
Diane Kresh, "Playing for Time #2"
This conceptual work in the style of Paul Cézanne attempts to portray a man that is getting tired of social distancing along the banks of the Ohio River.
David Stanley, "Tired of Social Distancing" - This conceptual work in the style of Paul Cézanne attempts to portray a man that is getting tired of social distancing along the banks of the Ohio River.
Submit to Quaranzine

The next deadline for submissions to Quaranzine is Thursday, May 28

Library System Upgrade to Start Friday, May 29

How to Prepare Your Account for the Upgrade

Starting next week, the Library will begin preparations for a system upgrade, which will affect all Library patron accounts.

Fine payments will be unavailable after 5 p.m. on Friday, May 29. There will be a system transition from Friday, June 5 – Wednesday, June 10, during which time some account features will be unavailable. During the transition, access to eBooks and eAudiobooks will still be available. The upgrades will be completed by June 15.

What does this mean for your Library account?

Fine Payment

  • The Library’s fine payment system will be unavailable for approximately two weeks starting Friday, May 29, at 5 p.m.
  • During this time, patrons and staff will not be able to pay fines or make any changes to fines on your account.
  • Patron accounts with an outstanding balance of $15 or more cannot log in to the eCollection.

Your Contact Information

  • The system upgrade will include new, secure account passwords.
  • To facilitate updating your PIN to a password after the upgrade, we encourage you to visit your online account before June 4 to verify that your phone and email information are current.
  • Address information can not be updated at this time.

Stay tuned for more news about the system upgrade and how these changes will affect your Library account.

At this time, all Arlington Public Library locations remain closed. In the meantime, you can use our online collections, and contact us through Online Chat and Text.

Thank you for your continued patience and support.

This Week in 19th Amendment History: Nannie Helen Burroughs

May 20, 1961: Nannie Helen Burroughs Passes Away

Celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment with stories about the people and events that led to the passage of women’s suffrage in the United States.

Nannie Helen Burroughs, who was a leading educator, feminist and suffragist in the Washington, D.C., area throughout the early 20th century, founded a school for girls and women and was an active member in her community.

Portrait of Nannie Helen Burroughs (left) and unidentified companion, ca. 1900. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Early Life

Burroughs was born on May 2, 1879, in rural Orange, Virginia. Both of her parents were formerly enslaved, and her father passed away when Burroughs was a young girl. She and her mother subsequently moved to Washington, D.C., where Burroughs spent the majority of her childhood.

She was an exemplary student and graduated with honors from the M Street High School, now the Paul Laurence Dunbar High School. Though she excelled academically, she was denied a teaching job in the Washington, D.C., public school system – however, this setback would not hinder her goal to further the education of those in need.

Nannie Helen Burroughs (center) and others at the National Training School in Washington, D.C., taken around 1909. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Training School

Burroughs then decided to establish her own school to educate and train African American women who could not pursue a traditional educational path. Burroughs brought her proposal to the National Baptist Convention, and the organization decided to support her idea. The group bought six acres of land in the Lincoln Heights area of Northwest Washington, D.C., but this was only the beginning of her journey to open the school. Not wanting to rely on wealthy white donors, Burroughs gained the support of small donations from African American women and children to raise the funds to open the school. Once the fiscal matters were in order, Burroughs was able to open the National Training School for Women and Girls in 1909.

Originally operating out of a small farmhouse on the property, the school was popular and well-attended through the first half of the 20th century. The curriculum at the school was rigorous, including courses both vocational and academic, such as dressmaking, power machine operation, music, and physical education. Students could also participate in activities such as the school newspaper. Most of the students came from working-class backgrounds and hailed both from the Washington, D.C., area and other countries around the world.

Early supporters of the school included Black history scholar Dr. Carter G. Woodson and president of the National Association of Colored Women, Mary McCleod Bethune, who also spoke at the dedication ceremony. Burroughs outlined her goals for the school as training women for jobs both in and outside of the traditional female job sphere, and aiming for each student to become “the fiber of a sturdy moral, industrious and intellectual woman.” In 1928, the school saw an expansion, and a larger building – called Trades Hall – was constructed, with 12 classrooms, three offices, an assembly hall, and a print shop.

Student basketball players at the National Training School for Women and Girls, between 1900 and 1920. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Woman’s Convention of the National Baptist Convention

At the same time as Burroughs lead her school and students, she was also an activist and advocate. Notably, she was involved in supporting greater civil rights and suffrage for African Americans and women. She wrote and spoke extensively on these topics, highlighting the need for African American and white women to work together to achieve the right to vote for all. She also emphasized that suffrage for African American women was key in protecting them in a persistently prejudiced and discriminatory society.

Starting early in her career, she was active in the Woman’s Convention of the National Baptist Convention, many of whose members were fellow suffragists and who discussed suffrage topics at their meetings. In 1900 she delivered a speech at the group’s annual meeting entitled “How Sisters Are Hindered from Helping,” and at the 1905 First Baptist World Alliance meeting in London, gave a speech called “Women’s Part in the World’s Work.” Burroughs also served as the corresponding secretary of the Woman’s Convention for 48 years and helped the organization grow its membership to 1.5 million by 1907.

“Nine African-American women posed, standing, full length, with Nannie Burroughs holding banner reading, Banner State Woman's National Baptist Convention.” Published between 1905 and 1915. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Legacy

Throughout her life she also became part of the vibrant community of African American women suffragists, advocating for the cause alongside Coralie Franklin Cook, Anna Julia Cooper, Angelina Weld Grimké, Lucy Diggs Slowe, and Mary Church Terrell. African American women’s clubs were a strong network in Washington, D.C., and Burroughs was also active in these groups, including the National Association of Colored Women, the National Association of Wage Earners, and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History.

Burroughs served as president of her school until her death on May 20, 1961, and three years later, the school changed its name to the Nannie Helen Burroughs School in her honor. Trades Hall now houses the Progressive National Baptist Convention and is a National Historic Landmark.

Nannie Helen Burroughs photographed between 1900 and 1920. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

2020 marks the centennial of the passage of the 19th Amendment. Learn how Arlington County is commemorating this milestone of civil rights on the Arlington County website.

Quaranzine: Issue 6

May 18: Holding Steady

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.

Due to required telework, I have not been able to water my desk plants. I prefer a desk-jungle if I have to be indoors all day. I was terribly worried as week two started that they may not make it. Fortunately, I was able to teach the building's minimal staffing team and they agreed to take pity on the plants. They asked for instructions, and I sketched and painted this quick instructional picture for them. Thankfully, the plants are surviving coronavirus.
Kayla Hinrichs Sorenson, "Please Water the Plants" - Due to required telework, I have not been able to water my desk plants. I prefer a desk-jungle if I have to be indoors all day. I was terribly worried as week two started that they may not make it. Fortunately, I was able to teach the building's minimal staffing team and they agreed to take pity on the plants. They asked for instructions, and I sketched and painted this quick instructional picture for them. Thankfully, the plants are surviving coronavirus.
I celebrated my 90th birthday this month. I was born in Baltimore in 1930. One of my favorite life memories is from when I was 13 years old, and my 15-year-old sister and I hitchhiked to Maine. I stayed at an artist colony for two weeks. In my youth I was a dancer and played piano, mandolin, cassinette, and bass. When I graduated from high school I had to choose: dance professionally or study medicine. I became a doctor (Endocrinologist) and in the 1960s managed some of the first gender affirming (sex reassignment) surgeries for people who are trans. I live in a colorful house in Lyon Village with my husband Bob. We’ve raised children and are now grandparents. I am proud to be in my 90s. Photo credit: Marley Pulido
Joey Gibson, "My 90th Birthday" - I celebrated my 90th birthday this month. I was born in Baltimore in 1930. One of my favorite life memories is from when I was 13 years old, and my 15-year-old sister and I hitchhiked to Maine. I stayed at an artist colony for two weeks. In my youth I was a dancer and played piano, mandolin, cassinette, and bass. When I graduated from high school I had to choose: dance professionally or study medicine. I became a doctor (Endocrinologist) and in the 1960s managed some of the first gender affirming (sex reassignment) surgeries for people who are trans. I live in a colorful house in Lyon Village with my husband Bob. We’ve raised children and are now grandparents. I am proud to be in my 90s. Photo credit: Marley Pulido
What my brain looks like during the quarantine.
Will Meagher, "My Brain in Coronavirus Times" - What my brain looks like during the quarantine.
Sweatpants have pretty much been my uniform for the coronavirus pandemic. They're warm, comfortable, and sometimes even comforting. I decided they deserved some recognition, so I wrote a haiku in honor of sweatpants.
Lindsey Wray, "Sweatpants: A Haiku" - Sweatpants have pretty much been my uniform for the coronavirus pandemic. They're warm, comfortable, and sometimes even comforting. I decided they deserved some recognition, so I wrote a haiku in honor of sweatpants.
I am a diplomat who is serving in China. Every time I come to Arlington for training, I get to enjoy the wonderful services you provide to the community. I want to share a bit of what I see and feel here. I did a series called "Beating COVID-19"
Kottonger Paloma, "Beating Covid 19" - I am a diplomat who is serving in China. Every time I come to Arlington for training, I get to enjoy the wonderful services you provide to the community. I want to share a bit of what I see and feel here. I did a series called "Beating COVID-19"
A Photo-Haiku of hope for these unusual times.
Stephen Hugh, "Covid 19 Haiku" - A Photo-Haiku of hope for these unusual times.
I am curious about interior landscapes, so I started photographing everyday landscapes in my house. I post a daily image to my Facebook account as part of a meditation on the emotional processing of the effects of social distancing.
Stephanie Dempsey, "Separated" - I am curious about interior landscapes, so I started photographing everyday landscapes in my house. I post a daily image to my Facebook account as part of a meditation on the emotional processing of the effects of social distancing.
I took this photo of a Colorado potato beetle on a recent hike in Charles County, MD.
Sheela Ahluwalia, "Potato Beetle" - I took this photo of a Colorado potato beetle on a recent hike in Charles County, MD.
Poppies in graphite. See more of my work on JoannaKEdwards.com or Instagram @thejosho
Joanna Edwards, "Poppies" - Poppies in graphite. See more of my work on JoannaKEdwards.com or Instagram @thejosho
The geometric shape that holds the graphic elements is called Metatron's Cube. It is a symbol that represents the energy throughout the universe and the balance within the universe. The alarm clocks are ticking to midnight and the earth has become a time bomb. The face of the globe indicates that we share the virus. Metatron's Cube is encircled by a mobius. A mobius is a significant ancient symbol of balance and union - two elements very much present in a pandemic. It is also a symbol of oneness. My pencil and ink drawing is one of hope; a wish for renewal and the rebalancing of a world out of kilter.
Jessica Green, "No Ordinary Virus: A Change to Change" - The geometric shape that holds the graphic elements is called Metatron's Cube. It is a symbol that represents the energy throughout the universe and the balance within the universe. The alarm clocks are ticking to midnight and the earth has become a time bomb. The face of the globe indicates that we share the virus. Metatron's Cube is encircled by a mobius. A mobius is a significant ancient symbol of balance and union - two elements very much present in a pandemic. It is also a symbol of oneness. My pencil and ink drawing is one of hope; a wish for renewal and the rebalancing of a world out of kilter.
This was the first piece I worked on since social distancing began. I started playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons shortly after things began to close and it was a great feeling to be able to escape to a tropical island where I could visit my friends in the safety of the virtual world. I wanted to make a piece that captured the idea of the island that I escape to and the reality of me at home in my blanket cocoon and 24/7 pajamas. Fantasy meets reality.
Rob Solka, "Escapism" - This was the first piece I worked on since social distancing began. I started playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons shortly after things began to close and it was a great feeling to be able to escape to a tropical island where I could visit my friends in the safety of the virtual world. I wanted to make a piece that captured the idea of the island that I escape to and the reality of me at home in my blanket cocoon and 24/7 pajamas. Fantasy meets reality.
Like may people, my husband and I have been keeping connected with family and friends during this time by participating in virtual visits, happy hours and trivia games. To make our Zoom get-togethers feel special, we have been experimenting with different cocktails. The actor, Stanley Tucci, posted a tutorial on his Instagram account making a Negroni for his wife. We tried it and found our new favorite! My painting includes all the ingredients for a perfect Negroni. I had fun composing the still life. I loved the colors and shapes of the bottles contrasting with the oranges, the brick wall and the lace table covering. This quieter life has gifted me adequate moments to notice and celebrate the simple beauty of everyday objects.
Rita Wiggins, "COVID-19, Still Life #1, An Homage to Stanley Tucci" - Like may people, my husband and I have been keeping connected with family and friends during this time by participating in virtual visits, happy hours and trivia games. To make our Zoom get-togethers feel special, we have been experimenting with different cocktails. The actor, Stanley Tucci, posted a tutorial on his Instagram account making a Negroni for his wife. We tried it and found our new favorite! My painting includes all the ingredients for a perfect Negroni. I had fun composing the still life. I loved the colors and shapes of the bottles contrasting with the oranges, the brick wall and the lace table covering. This quieter life has gifted me adequate moments to notice and celebrate the simple beauty of everyday objects.
Captured this beauty on a walk through my neighborhood. It was so nice to see something growing, vibrant, and alive. I had to pause and soak it up because even though things often feel like they're falling apart, there is still so much beauty and hope around us.
Rhiana Compton, "Neighborhood Beauty" - Captured this beauty on a walk through my neighborhood. It was so nice to see something growing, vibrant, and alive. I had to pause and soak it up because even though things often feel like they're falling apart, there is still so much beauty and hope around us.
I am grieving the loss of my one and only and I want to share, especially with Everly Jazi, because her poem is titled the same as mine.
Carol Regier, "Love in the Time of Coronavirus" - I am grieving the loss of my one and only and I want to share, especially with Everly Jazi, because her poem is titled the same as mine.
When things get so bleak we don’t know which way is up, we have to remind ourselves that there is light at the end of the tunnel, even if you have to create it yourself.
William Dickson, "Be The Light" - When things get so bleak we don’t know which way is up, we have to remind ourselves that there is light at the end of the tunnel, even if you have to create it yourself.
On the day this photo was taken, I was inside most of the day because of blustery weather. By early evening, the winds died down and the clouds cleared to reveal a magnificent evening. This photo was taken near a house in the Donaldson Run neighborhood with some spectacular azaleas. I wanted to capture the azaleas, the towering tulip trees behind them, and the clear early evening sky.
Jenny Shanker, "Reaching High" - On the day this photo was taken, I was inside most of the day because of blustery weather. By early evening, the winds died down and the clouds cleared to reveal a magnificent evening. This photo was taken near a house in the Donaldson Run neighborhood with some spectacular azaleas. I wanted to capture the azaleas, the towering tulip trees behind them, and the clear early evening sky.
I often find myself referring back to Carrie Fisher's writing and acting, especially when I'm feeling lost or vulnerable, or when the world seems to have stopped making sense. Her insistence on being loud and unapologetic about who she was has always been a source of strength for me, so painting her seemed appropriate in these times.
Katelyn Attanasio, "Space Mom" - I often find myself referring back to Carrie Fisher's writing and acting, especially when I'm feeling lost or vulnerable, or when the world seems to have stopped making sense. Her insistence on being loud and unapologetic about who she was has always been a source of strength for me, so painting her seemed appropriate in these times.
Take a break. Stare into the fountain. It helps.
Mark Charette, "Fountain: Halquist Hospice" - Take a break. Stare into the fountain. It helps.
I am outdoors wearing a homemade mask to reduce coronavirus transmission, reminiscent of the English using nosegays to keep away the Plague. The red roses fabric is left over from a shirt I made for my cousin's wedding in Cornwall 20 years ago. My husband has already had unconfirmed COVID-19. I don't know whether I am asymptomatic, immune, or have not yet gotten the coronavirus.
Mary Van Dyke, "Self Portrait: Covid 19" - I am outdoors wearing a homemade mask to reduce coronavirus transmission, reminiscent of the English using nosegays to keep away the Plague. The red roses fabric is left over from a shirt I made for my cousin's wedding in Cornwall 20 years ago. My husband has already had unconfirmed COVID-19. I don't know whether I am asymptomatic, immune, or have not yet gotten the coronavirus.
I tend to be very perfectionist when it comes to the art I make, but since quarantine has begun, I've tried to let go of that impulse and just make art that entertains me and keeps me calm. This has led to me making so much more than I normally do! I've started taping the pieces to my wall, which has been a nice way to change my setting even when I can't physically go anywhere.
Rachel Blanco, "A Change of Scenery" - I tend to be very perfectionist when it comes to the art I make, but since quarantine has begun, I've tried to let go of that impulse and just make art that entertains me and keeps me calm. This has led to me making so much more than I normally do! I've started taping the pieces to my wall, which has been a nice way to change my setting even when I can't physically go anywhere.
Image from a walk across the 395 pedestrian bridge in Shirlington at sunset.
Hillary Williams, "Sunset Bridge" - Image from a walk across the 395 pedestrian bridge in Shirlington at sunset.
I have been reading a lot during this time. Sometimes a book inspires me to draw. This is a page I made in my sketchbook while reading The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. There are many beautiful images within the story, but I felt compelled to draw the stag with the candles in his antlers. The tale is full of doors, bees, keys and swords. It is perfect escapist literature for these times.
Emily Shepardson, "The Stag Candelabra" - I have been reading a lot during this time. Sometimes a book inspires me to draw. This is a page I made in my sketchbook while reading "The Starless Sea" by Erin Morgenstern. There are many beautiful images within the story, but I felt compelled to draw the stag with the candles in his antlers. The tale is full of doors, bees, keys and swords. It is perfect escapist literature for these times.
Had a great time photographing the April 7, 2020 supermoon from my apartment building rooftop, while complying with stay-at-home orders. This was the brightest supermoon we will have in 2020, and I could not have asked for better conditions. I'm grateful to have this opportunity to practice my art despite the situation going on around us in the world. More of my work as an amateur landscape, wildlife, and astro photographer is available at www.griffinbarnett.photography.
Griffin Barnett, "Pink Moon, Blue City" - Had a great time photographing the April 7, 2020 supermoon from my apartment building rooftop, while complying with stay-at-home orders. This was the brightest supermoon we will have in 2020, and I could not have asked for better conditions. I'm grateful to have this opportunity to practice my art despite the situation going on around us in the world. More of my work as an amateur landscape, wildlife, and astro photographer is available at www.griffinbarnett.photography.
These past few weeks I have seen homegrown art pop up all over my neighborhood, thanking the essential workers who continue to work so hard for us. I've included 2 of my favorite photographs as well as a poem I wrote.
Anne Womack, "Your Neighbors Are Thankful" - These past few weeks I have seen homegrown art pop up all over my neighborhood, thanking the essential workers who continue to work so hard for us. I've included 2 of my favorite photographs as well as a poem I wrote.
"Apollo." Duct tape, cardboard. 8.25"" x 11"" My partner and I decided to live together during the stay at home orders, resulting in me spending time with his dog 24/7 while he is out working long hours, 5-6 days a week. Apollo has become my world, in so many ways.
El Simmons, "Apollo" - Duct tape, cardboard. 8.25"" x 11"". My partner and I decided to live together during the stay at home orders, resulting in me spending time with his dog 24/7 while he is out working long hours, 5-6 days a week. Apollo has become my world, in so many ways.
This image is what flashes before my eyes when oil futures plummet below a dollar. It makes me wonder what's next? Can spirits be lifted by dark humor? Is the only thing we have to fear is fear itself?
David Stanley, "On the Road to Deflation" - This image is what flashes before my eyes when oil futures plummet below a dollar. It makes me wonder what's next? Can spirits be lifted by dark humor? Is the only thing we have to fear is fear itself?
Route 7 (King Street) and Walter Reed Drive was completely devoid of cars one evening as I was on my way to the new Five Guys to pick up burgers for my wife and I. The brand new West End development, located where the old Five Guys used to be, is hoping to be a bustling city center. It looked so nice in the evening sun, but I felt a touch of sadness in the contrast between hope for future success of the new center and the empty street.
Andrew Henderson, "King Street Quarantine Views" - Route 7 (King Street) and Walter Reed Drive was completely devoid of cars one evening as I was on my way to the new Five Guys to pick up burgers for my wife and I. The brand new West End development, located where the old Five Guys used to be, is hoping to be a bustling city center. It looked so nice in the evening sun, but I felt a touch of sadness in the contrast between hope for future success of the new center and the empty street.
With all the time in the world to find pleasure in the smallest things and be silly, let me share a letter of love for the thing that has made me smile: toaster based breakfast pastries.
Daniel Choi, "A Corona Love Letter" - With all the time in the world to find pleasure in the smallest things and be silly, let me share a letter of love for the thing that has made me smile: toaster based breakfast pastries.
Created in quarantine with a homemade gelli plate, acrylic paint, and oil pastels over old sheet music.
Bekah Richards, "Daydreaming" - Created in quarantine with a homemade gelli plate, acrylic paint, and oil pastels over old sheet music.
Playing For Time
Diane Kresh, "Playing For Time"
Submit to Quaranzine

The next deadline for submissions to Quaranzine is Thursday, May 21

This Week in 19th Amendment History: Shifts and Splits in the Suffrage Movement

May 10, 1866: 11th National Woman’s Right Convention

Celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment with stories about the people and events that led to the passage of women’s suffrage in the United States.

In 1866, the women’s suffrage movement experienced a significant change in its organization as the various groups leading the struggle toward women’s suffrage split over certain issues.

Key among them was support for the 15th Amendment, (passed in 1869), which states that "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude."

American Equal Rights Association

One of the major groups leading the suffrage movement at this point was the American Equal Rights Association (AERA). The organization was founded on May 10, 1866, at the eleventh National Woman’s Right Convention by suffrage leaders Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. The group outlined its goal to “secure Equal Rights to all Americans citizens, especially the right of suffrage, irrespective of race, color, or sex.”

The AERA featured a diverse group of members, many prominent figures in the suffrage and abolition movements. Among those who played significant roles in the group were Lucretia Mott, Lucy Stone, Frederick Douglass, and Henry Blackwell. A number of African-American women also held leadership roles, including Harriet Purvis, Sarah Remond, and Sojourner Truth.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton (left) and Susan B. Anthony (right). Stanton and Anthony broke off to form the National Woman Suffrage Association in 1869 after disagreement over the 15th Amendment, which they both opposed. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Advocacy for All

The American Equal Rights Association was initially focused on advocating and campaigning for the rights of both women and African Americans in the United States, and on gaining suffrage for both.

At the first anniversary meeting of the group, on May 9 and 10 in 1867, the group’s leadership wrote:

“Let the gathering, then, at this anniversary be, in numbers and character, worthy, in some degree, the demands of the hour. The black man, even the black soldier, is yet but half emancipated, nor will he be, until full suffrage and citizenship, are secured to him in the Federal Constitution. Still more deplorable is the condition of the black woman; and legally, that of the white woman is no better!

Shall the sun of the nineteenth century go down on wrongs like these, in this nation, consecrated in its infancy to justice and freedom? Rather let out meeting be pledge as well as prophecy to the world of mankind, that the redemption of at least one great nation is near at hand.”

Divisions in the AERA

This approach was short-lived, however, as prejudices were increasingly exposed in the group. This was particularly clear in New York and Kansas, two states with notable and controversial suffrage campaigns led by the AERA.

The New York campaign focused on entering women’s suffrage into the state’s constitutional revisions, as well as fighting discrimination against Black voters. Horace Greeley, a notable newspaper editor, and abolitionist, was chair of this campaign’s suffrage committee, and later came into disagreement with Stanton and Anthony. Greeley wanted to focus solely on Black male suffrage, while Stanton and Anthony wanted the focus on white women's suffrage.

The Kansas campaign was even more pivotal to the split, as the state was about to vote on both suffrage for white women and suffrage for African American men. Stanton and Anthony decided to back George Train, who used racist vitriol to further his campaign against granting African American men suffrage. Anthony’s writing also became more anti-Black during this time. Other members of the AERA stood up against this approach, notably Lucy Stone, but ultimately neither suffrage bill passed in Kansas.

In 1869, a final blow was dealt to the existing structure of the women’s movement. Two days prior at the AERA annual meeting, acrimonious debates had marked the group’s discussions. Frederick Douglass notably called out Stanton for denigrating Black male voters in her work in Kansas.

Two days later, on May 15, 1869, the AERA disbanded permanently. On that same day, Stanton and Anthony broke off to form the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA).

The executive committee of the National Woman’s Suffrage Association. Image courtesy of Spartacus Education via Your Voice Your Vote.

National Woman Suffrage Association / American Woman Suffrage Association

Headquartered in New York City, the aim of National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) was to promote suffrage for white women and to oppose the 15th Amendment.

Later that year, another group emerged: led by Lucy Stone and her husband Henry Brown Blackwell, as well as Julia Ward Howe, the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA) supported the 15th Amendment along with women’s suffrage.

The split between these two groups lasted nearly two decades. However, in 1890, Lucy Stone’s daughter, Alice Stone Blackwell, successfully led a merger, leading to the creation of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). (Among the founding members was Washington DC activist Mary Church Terrell.)

This was the first time in decades the suffrage movement had been united under one banner, but racism within the movement persisted. Though the group was not segregated nationally, local chapters could and did exclude African American women. The struggles and shifts in these groups demonstrate the deeply ingrained prejudices that have accompanied the American suffrage movement for decades.

“Suffragists Mrs. Stanley McCormick and Mrs. Charles Parker, April 22, 1913.” Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

“Horse drawn float declares National American Woman Suffrage Association’s support for Bristow-Mondell amendment.” Circa 1914. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

2020 marks the centennial of the passage of the 19th Amendment. Learn how Arlington County is commemorating this milestone of civil rights on the Arlington County website.

Quaranzine: Issue 5

May 11: Keep Your Chin Up

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.

Sometimes home can be a refuge. In these times, home feels a bit confining. Tara Barr is a lifelong art lover and a working mom in the DC area. She recently decided to make painting a high priority in her life after setting it aside for over a decade to focus on her family and her career in technology. Tara is inspired by great design, interesting details, and nostalgic memories. You can show your support following @tarabarr.art on Instagram.
Tara Barr, "Woman House" - Sometimes home can be a refuge. In these times, home feels a bit confining. Tara Barr is a lifelong art lover and a working mom in the DC area. She recently decided to make painting a high priority in her life after setting it aside for over a decade to focus on her family and her career in technology. Tara is inspired by great design, interesting details, and nostalgic memories. You can show your support following @tarabarr.art on Instagram.
A comic about how our family is social distancing outside.
Meehea Davis, "Social Distancing" - A comic about how our family is social distancing outside.
Communication in the time of self-isolation - Long live the paper airplane (hands washed before folding, of course!)
Katrina Kubik, "Quarantine Conversations" - Communication in the time of self-isolation - Long live the paper airplane (hands washed before folding, of course!)
This year every polar bear gets his or her own ice floe, and a nice coronavirus mask to go with it.
Jacqueline Joyce, "Polar Bears Practice Social Distancing in the Age of Global Warming" - This year every polar bear gets his or her own ice floe, and a nice coronavirus mask to go with it.
A brief observation of two people in a situation that may illuminate new approaches to co-existing.
MaryAnn Cunningham, "Us, Quarantined and Disrupted" - A brief observation of two people in a situation that may illuminate new approaches to co-existing.
I captured this picture when I was exploring black & white in my photography work. Working on this made me understand even though there are no colors in the picture, it conveys many more ideas, philosophies, feelings and emotions that one might miss in a color photograph. Some, if not most of the time, different colors might distract from the actual content. I have used symmetry, weightage of elements in a frame as my compositional elements.
Naga Sathya Bharadwaja Dandibhotla, "Patience" - I captured this picture when I was exploring black & white in my photography work. Working on this made me understand even though there are no colors in the picture, it conveys many more ideas, philosophies, feelings and emotions that one might miss in a color photograph. Some, if not most of the time, different colors might distract from the actual content. I have used symmetry, weightage of elements in a frame as my compositional elements.
Watercolor Sketch
William Tinto, "Rosslyn from the Balcony" - Watercolor Sketch
Butterflies (angels) in the heavens protecting us and signalling us to stay calm and peaceful, that everything will be okay...while coronavirus is in mid-air, non-discriminating among human beings of all shapes & sizes, races, cultures, and ethnicities on earth.
Radhika Goel, "Be Zen" - Butterflies (angels) in the heavens protecting us and signalling us to stay calm and peaceful, that everything will be okay...while coronavirus is in mid-air, non-discriminating among human beings of all shapes & sizes, races, cultures, and ethnicities on earth.
While we are all in our little bubbles, it is important to maintain the connections between friends, family and other human beings in general. It may feel tenuous at times, but hold on and we will get through this together - at a distance.
Molly McCracken, "Hold On" - While we are all in our little bubbles, it is important to maintain the connections between friends, family and other human beings in general. It may feel tenuous at times, but hold on and we will get through this together - at a distance.
Six individually made masks using paper in various forms. Rolled newspaper, magazine paper, tissue paper, paper strips. Some pieces have additional materials such as beads and fabric. Cardboard for backing with hemp string for hanging.
Michelle Frazier, "My Paper Obsessions" - Six individually made masks using paper in various forms. Rolled newspaper, magazine paper, tissue paper, paper strips. Some pieces have additional materials such as beads and fabric. Cardboard for backing with hemp string for hanging.
My water color group is not meeting (physically) during the siege (that's what it feels like!), but I'm going through my photo albums for inspiration!
Winifred Scheffler, "Afternoon Street Scene" - My water color group is not meeting (physically) during the siege (that's what it feels like!), but I'm going through my photo albums for inspiration!
This papercut hangs on my door to thank all those working for USPS, parcel services, and delivery services. The figure is inspired by the eagle logo for USPS, in the style of the Egyptian god Horace (an eagle-headed human).
Melanie Kehoss, "Delivery Heroes" - This papercut hangs on my door to thank all those working for USPS, parcel services, and delivery services. The figure is inspired by the eagle logo for USPS, in the style of the Egyptian god Horace (an eagle-headed human).
It has become taboo for me to venture outside of my own yard in search of interesting subjects to photograph. The requirement to minimize exposure in public areas and maintain social distancing has forced me to look closer to home to find photogenic scenery. This has inspired me to venture into the world of macrophotography. Macrophotography is photographing very close objects and it calls for special lenses with very small minimal focusing distances. This particular shot was taken on the brick wall that comprises the barrier around my yard and garden. This small jumping spider was more than cooperative in staying very still during this shoot. I used a Sony A7rII and Sony's 90mm Macro lens with a tripod to steady the shot.
Joshua Keyfauver, "Social Distancing" - It has become taboo for me to venture outside of my own yard in search of interesting subjects to photograph. The requirement to minimize exposure in public areas and maintain social distancing has forced me to look closer to home to find photogenic scenery. This has inspired me to venture into the world of macrophotography. Macrophotography is photographing very close objects and it calls for special lenses with very small minimal focusing distances. This particular shot was taken on the brick wall that comprises the barrier around my yard and garden. This small jumping spider was more than cooperative in staying very still during this shoot. I used a Sony A7rII and Sony's 90mm Macro lens with a tripod to steady the shot.
I am grieving the loss of my one and only and I want to share, especially with Everly Jazi, because her poem is titled the same as mine.
Carol Regier, "Love in the Time of Coronavirus" - I am grieving the loss of my one and only and I want to share, especially with Everly Jazi, because her poem is titled the same as mine.
Quarantine spring: blooming redbuds, a lonesome Nats VW, showy tulips, and peaceful aubrieta. But even though it's spring, the outdoors are as empty and quiet as winter's first snow.
Krista O'Connell, "Quarantine Spring" - Blooming redbuds, a lonesome Nats VW, showy tulips, and peaceful aubrieta. But even though it's spring, the outdoors are as empty and quiet as winter's first snow.
This picture represents my feelings about making it through hard times. Persistence and self-expression were qualities Frida Kahlo demonstrated throughout her life. When I was looking through recent paintings I was thinking about Frida Kahlo and what art means to me during this difficult time for all of us.
Cynthia Killough, "Frida 1932" - This picture represents my feelings about making it through hard times. Persistence and self-expression were qualities Frida Kahlo demonstrated throughout her life. When I was looking through recent paintings I was thinking about Frida Kahlo and what art means to me during this difficult time for all of us.
"A poem about how quarantined monotony can make us miss even the most mundane occurrences of the outside world, and inspire us to contribute to its betterment so that we may return to it.
Jessie Garber, "Lemonade" - A poem about how quarantined monotony can make us miss even the most mundane occurrences of the outside world, and inspire us to contribute to its betterment so that we may return to it.
I came across this anatomy coloring book -- it's from the 70s, I think medical students use it -- while looking for something to prop up my laptop to record video lectures due to the quarantine. Now I'm using it to make one piece of analog/digital art per day. I color a page, then I look for interesting combinations of words from that same page, then I use my iPhone and its rudimentary photo editor to compose two images for an instagram post (@jackeddielove). Here are the images from a particular post, placed side by side as a diptych.
Jack Love, "Ability To Love" - I came across this anatomy coloring book -- it's from the 70s, I think medical students use it -- while looking for something to prop up my laptop to record video lectures due to the quarantine. Now I'm using it to make one piece of analog/digital art per day. I color a page, then I look for interesting combinations of words from that same page, then I use my iPhone and its rudimentary photo editor to compose two images for an instagram post (@jackeddielove). Here are the images from a particular post, placed side by side as a diptych.
A neighbor in Madison Manor placed this painted stone in a garden patch of phlox, cheering us as we pass on our walks. These small gestures take on so much meaning when our worlds have been reduced to home and surrounding area. Better days are coming.
Claire Reinburg, "In Phlox" - A neighbor in Madison Manor placed this painted stone in a garden patch of phlox, cheering us as we pass on our walks. These small gestures take on so much meaning when our worlds have been reduced to home and surrounding area. Better days are coming.
Alphabet poem on the things we miss about life in Arlington while quarantined
Marty and Ann Stevens, "Miss Arlington 2020" - Alphabet poem on the things we miss about life in Arlington while quarantined
My husband and I are tucked away at home without kids or pets, so I decided to spoil our family of air plants with handmade knit ""sweater"" planters. Our time at home may just take us to the next level of crazy plant parents. Materials: 100% cotton yarn
Chrissy Bloom, "Family of Air Plants in Knit Sweater Pots" - My husband and I are tucked away at home without kids or pets, so I decided to spoil our family of air plants with handmade knit ""sweater"" planters. Our time at home may just take us to the next level of crazy plant parents. Materials: 100% cotton yarn
I crocheted these doilies using crochet cotton thread. I used vintage (circa 1950s and 60s) or other crochet patterns freely available in the public domain.
Sucharitha Iyer, "Vintage Crotchet Doily " - I crocheted these doilies using crochet cotton thread. I used vintage (circa 1950s and 60s) or other crochet patterns freely available in the public domain.
My neighbors’ decorations are ever-changing, but always thoughtful and full of heart. On a recent day, this inflatable piñata was sporting a face mask and googly eyes to remind you that COVID-19 is no party.
Maria Lauron, "No Party" - My neighbors’ decorations are ever-changing, but always thoughtful and full of heart. On a recent day, this inflatable piñata was sporting a face mask and googly eyes to remind you that COVID-19 is no party.
Rawlins Park, Washington DC. Taken March 18, 2020.
Rawlins Park, Andrew Musko, "A Lone Park Bench" - Washington DC. Taken March 18, 2020.
I am a freelance illustrator from Washington D.C. and serve as a political cartoonist for environmental news platform Our Daily Planet, as well as an illustrator for Georgetown University Office of Communications. In order to help me keep artistic and mental discipline during quarantine, I started an online art challenge called #CatadayApril, in which participants were encouraged to draw one cat every day in April. I created a prompt list as well as official graphics for the challenge.
Alexandra Bowman, "Cat Video Lawyer" - I am a freelance illustrator from Washington D.C. and serve as a political cartoonist for environmental news platform Our Daily Planet, as well as an illustrator for Georgetown University Office of Communications. In order to help me keep artistic and mental discipline during quarantine, I started an online art challenge called #CatadayApril, in which participants were encouraged to draw one cat every day in April. I created a prompt list as well as official graphics for the challenge.
The image is a joke about a failed attempt at wearing a face mask.
David Moss, "Mask Fail" - The image is a joke about a failed attempt at wearing a face mask.
Susan Miller, "Two Worlds"
My toddler daughter wishing her neighborhood friend a happy 5th birthday during social distancing. Like other neighbors who wanted to help the birthday girl celebrate, we made a Happy Birthday sign and some drawings and taped them to our window for her to see.
Shabnam Bozzelli, "Wishing Neighbor Friend a Happy Birthday" - My toddler daughter wishing her neighborhood friend a happy 5th birthday during social distancing. Like other neighbors who wanted to help the birthday girl celebrate, we made a Happy Birthday sign and some drawings and taped them to our window for her to see.
Submit to Quaranzine

The next deadline for submissions to Quaranzine is Thursday, May 14

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