Quarantine and social distancing are impacting each of us in different ways. Fortunately, there’s no right or wrong way to be an artist! As a way to connect and check-in with our community, we asked Level Ground Collective Artists:

How are you and your creative practices adapting to life during a pandemic?

They responded with short virtual tours of their studio spaces and we’ll be sharing them weekly. First up is Molly Meng, a lead collaborator on this Virtual Studio Tour project. Molly is a mixed-media artist whose work combines vintage papers and photographs with needlework. While showing us how she’s brought her studio to her house, she reflects on the question, “Is this what I’m supposed to be doing?”

You can watch Molly’s video and read more of her reflection below. Whether you’re painting from your patio or dancing on your dinner table, we hope these studio tours leave you feeling inspired and encouraged in your own art making.

“Pre-Pandemic, I worked out of my studio on the 11th floor of The Spring Arts Tower in DTLA.  Even in mid-March, after staying home for a few days with a few items I grabbed, I thought I might be able to go to the studio daily.  But, as facts emerged and Mayor Garcetti brought out more requirements vs. recommendations, I made an organized list and drove to the studio to pick up the most important tools of my trade:  My sewing machine, fabric, my typewriter, vintage paper and my collage materials.  The outcome of that trip has led me here, to our dining table/living room and what I am now calling my “home office” until further notice.

“I create artwork that is inspired by the past, infused with thoughts of the present, and made with fabric, books, hardware, vintage photos, and ephemera from all the eras in between.

“I also teach creative workshops ranging from cyanotype to book making, block printing to collage concepts. March 14th was my last workshop, taught at SFCB, and it seems probably the last one in-person for quite awhile.  After weeks of feeling fairly overwhelmed by the current state of things, I finally decided to sell kits and hold workshops on Zoom.  I have not yet done this and have no idea how it’ll go (it was great! They went great!) soooo, I’m moving the gears.” –Molly Meng

You can check out Molly’s work and sign up for one of her virtual workshops at mollycmeng.com. Follow her on Instagram at @molly_c_meng.