Jude Worters:

23/03/2020 to Nov 2020

What is your connection to Moreland? And, to which suburb(s)?

I live in Moreland. My stamping ground is Coburg and East Brunswick.

What was your experience of life before the pandemic?

Before the Covid lockdown I was deeply involved in my research as a PhD student at RMIT city campus. As a single older retired person my art school colleagues and fellow students were an intrinsic part of my daily life.University life provided a structure to my days and as a single person the social contact, companionship and intellectual stimulation provided an important connection to the broader community. 

Describe an experience that occurred during this pandemic that has stood out to be significant to you or your organisation/space/business that you'd like to share?

The most difficult thing as a single person was not being able to see my friends and colleagues in the flesh. Also having no access to my studio space and materials was very difficult. This disrupted my usual routines and creative energy. I began to lose track of the days and had little energy or motivation. Recognising this was dangerous territory for my mental health I began to turn my attention to trying to utilise my time and spend at least 2hrs per day on creative work. This structured time enabled me to work on my dissertation writing which I had neglected and was needing attention. As someone with pretty patchy organisational skills the enforced isolation did provide the impetus to make better use of my time and to rely more on my own energy and inner resources to keep up the momentum with my study.With some improvisation, I also managed to complete a new costume work. Weekly Zoom meetings with my art school colleagues provided essential connection to my community. We were able to share our concerns, commiserate, offer moral support, and also to have some lively discussions about the state of our own projects and other related art issues.That was the highlight of my week and I couldn't have made it through lock-down without this virtual catch-up or the ongoing support of my peers. As much as I hate technology, this was the saving grace. These weekly catch ups were a much needed lifeline in maintaining a more balanced perspective when having to cope with the ongoing isolation of singledom and so many other restricted personal freedoms.

Instagram: judeworters