A Room with a View: Katy Stubbs on her isolation experience

"A Room with a View" is a new editorial initiative which aims to illuminate the positive and creative potential of time spent in isolation. The twentieth and latest contribution comes from South African artist Katy Stubbs.

Words by Katy Stubbs

Dear My Art Guide Readers,

I am just sitting at my kitchen table like I have been pretty much all day every day since the beginning of lockdown/ time. I can’t really remember where I used to be before this. Our kitchen table has been a daily battleground, as lots of people (my family) seem to want to use the table too. It’s all about not backing down and never ever showing any signs of moving.

Lockdown, I think, has been quite nice for all the people who usually work alone. It’s very relaxing having everyone in the same situation as you. It has been very reassuring knowing everyone is not having fun in their office’s, chatting to all their friends, eating baguettes and plotting revenge on a despised co-worker. While I sit alone in my studio and stress about a shade of green silently for hours.

Anyway back to me and my kitchen table studio. My chickens also want to use the table. I usually don’t mind them sharing it with me but I made a clay sculpture of some crayfish and went upstairs and when I had come back they had pecked all the eyes off. Quite mean of them! I felt a bit betrayed but also flattered that they thought it looked real enough.

What has been a bit confusing about working from home has been when are you not meant to be working? Because I am always home and there is always work to do. When do you stop and do something else like read or watch a movie or not feel guilty about just laying around?

My only piece of advice is if you are bored watch ‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’. That is just some brilliant TV.

Hope you are doing ok!

Katy

Courtesy of Katy Stubbs