Nicola Baird’s painting of her friends

ARTISTS, poets, photographers and crafters have been sending in examples of their “lockdown art” to the Tribune’s artistic archive of the coronavirus lockdown.

A lockdown poem, by William Gardier Hunter of Copenhagen Street, offers readers hope that the crisis will one day end.

Edward Quigley’s image of a deserted Chapel Market

Nicola Baird, of the Islington Faces Blog, sent in a painting, and said: “To keep busy I’ve been painting women and dogs – just finished my 11th portrait! It’s a lovely non-Zoom way to focus on my friends and family as I have to concentrate hard, enabling me to forget the horribleness of what’s going on for an hour or so. Here’s my friend Kimi Gill with Chloe.”

Edward Quigley shared his haunting image of a deserted Chapel Market. He said: “I’m usually an artist that works with painting and sketching, but I’m also a keen amateur photographer during the lockdown and my state-approved hourly walks.”

The fruit (and veg) of Stephanie Smith’s labour

Stephanie Smith, of Archway Market, shared some of her home-made fabric vegetables. Ms Smith said: “Having the idea, then working out how to do it is the fun bit, and I’ve found that during this awful time, the actual process of sewing and making is really helping my head,” she explained.

We look forward to seeing more of your work.

Lockdown poem by William Gardier Hunter

As the lockdown started today
I just wanted to run away
But I knew I had to stay
As you needed me every day
My thoughts were all over the place
As I tried to remain calm with grace
Oh goodness what a crazy climb
As we go through this awful time
We will get through it and look back
On a time when we wanted to pack
Our thoughts away in our mind
And not touch them as if we were blind
Love and care will see us through
Till tomorrow, next day and beyond
We must care for each other
Like a husband, child or brother
God will take care of us all
We must believe that and we will again walk tall.

Share your lockdown paintings, poems and sketches by emailing sferguson@islingtontribune.com