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My name is Nayana LaFond and I am a full time artist living and working in Massachusetts with my daughter. I make work in a variety of media on themes related to Cancer, Bone Marrow transplant, being a patient, immune suppression, covid 19, vulnerability, domestic violence, personal identity, Modern Indigenous rights and identity and current events. My primary medium is acrylic on canvas paintings however I also dabble in sculpture, installation, mixed media, photography and more. As a survivor of many things my work comes from a deeply personal space. I attended Greenfield Community College for Fine Art and Massachusetts College of Art for Photography and am an art school drop out. My work has been exhibited and is in private and public collections around the world.
Published on May 6th, 2021. Artist responses collected in months previous.
What hurdles have you overcome this year and how have they affected your art practice?
Severe financial difficulties due to COVID-19, Issues related to parenting and health concerns. I had a scare where my doctors through my Leukemia may have returned. Thankfully it has not. All of my income was severely effected. The income that I normally receive as a result of my divorce just did not come in for several months and since I am immune suppressed I am unable to work outside the home and could not even food shop because of vulnerability. As a result I began more heavily relying on art to make ends meet. I started focusing more of my time on my work since going places and even seeing family and friends became an impossibility. I am normally mostly an introvert and found it nice to have the time to myself. Some very serious parenting concerns arose this year as well which have held a great deal of my energy and attention. To spite the stressors etc My work has done very well this year so far and has gotten a lot of attention.
How has your art practice been affected by the pandemic?
Just prior to the quarantine being put in place in New England I had won best in show at the national juried exhibition called Abiding Courage commemorating the centennial of the 19th amendment. All momentum for that was halted. That show was supposed to go on a sort of tour and that has been ended or postponed. I was scheduled to be at several art fairs and exhibitions including the Abbe Museum which have all been cancelled until next year. When the pandemic first hit I had issues finding art supplies but was able to coordinate with other artist online to exchange supplies. The pandemic founds its way into my work as well and I ended up painting over 20 pandemic paintings and have continued my medical related epoxy work. Instead of physically going to events I began focusing my efforts online and it has worked very well for me. I did an interview with a gallery out of Vienna Austria about the pandemic and art, I have been in several online exhibitions and on a 40ft digital billboard in NYC thanking healthcare workers. The pandemic has been difficult but also productive.
What support systems have you put in place to help keep your practice thriving amidst these unforeseeable circumstances?
I have moved most of by business online. My website has expanded and become more focused. I started an etsy store to sell prints which I would normally be selling at art fairs. I have become a lot more versed in shipping works and have done all interviews and panel discussions via zoom. I also started live streaming paintings. There really is not a lot more that I have done. I am doing significantly better this year with my work then last with the pandemic. In many ways I feel my art making practices are benefited by this situation. I am immune suppressed so couldn't go to all the events others could and often felt it was a handicap. However I feel the pandemic has somewhat leveled the field for me. Now everyone is online so it has been a lot easier to get my work out there, seen, appreciated, exhibited and purchased since the pandemic. I'm working to find other ways to make the most of this situation.
What methods do you employ to stay resilient in your art practice? What tips would you recommend to other artists who find staying resilient difficult?
I have had to be resilient through a lot of things in my life so it has become second nature for me to do so. When I was having difficulty sourcing materials I immediately began looking at other materials I already had as possible options. I think you have to bring yourself back to the basis of why you make art and remember that some of the best works of art have been made during times of crisis. My advice would be to take those stressors or hurdles and turn them into part of your work. Use your art to overcome the hardship and to process what is going on. I have spoken to several friends who have produced very little because they find it difficult to be resilient and focused. We are artists for a reason, its a need for each of us like breathing. So the best way to be resilient is to do what you do best, what makes you who you are, and put those feelings into it.
What have you learned about yourself as an artist this year?
I have learned that I can do anything I put my mind to. I already had the tools to get through this before it began. Being a BMT patient I already knew how to stay safe and social distance. I learned that when I focus on my work I can produce a lot of work in a short period of time. I have learned that I'm capable of more realism then I thought I was in my paintings. I have learned that I am capable of achieving some of the career goals I previously thought were impossible. I have also learned that I am very good at finding creative storage solutions for my work. That I can work under any circumstances and produce works i am happy with even with the most meager of available materials. I have learned, or rather confirmed, that art is what helps me heal and feel whole in this world.
What hurdles have you overcome this year and how have they affected your art practice?
Severe financial difficulties due to COVID-19, Issues related to parenting and health concerns. I had a scare where my doctors through my Leukemia may have returned. Thankfully it has not. All of my income was severely effected. The income that I normally receive as a result of my divorce just did not come in for several months and since I am immune suppressed I am unable to work outside the home and could not even food shop because of vulnerability. As a result I began more heavily relying on art to make ends meet. I started focusing more of my time on my work since going places and even seeing family and friends became an impossibility. I am normally mostly an introvert and found it nice to have the time to myself. Some very serious parenting concerns arose this year as well which have held a great deal of my energy and attention. To spite the stressors etc My work has done very well this year so far and has gotten a lot of attention.
How has your art practice been affected by the pandemic?
Just prior to the quarantine being put in place in New England I had won best in show at the national juried exhibition called Abiding Courage commemorating the centennial of the 19th amendment. All momentum for that was halted. That show was supposed to go on a sort of tour and that has been ended or postponed. I was scheduled to be at several art fairs and exhibitions including the Abbe Museum which have all been cancelled until next year. When the pandemic first hit I had issues finding art supplies but was able to coordinate with other artist online to exchange supplies. The pandemic founds its way into my work as well and I ended up painting over 20 pandemic paintings and have continued my medical related epoxy work. Instead of physically going to events I began focusing my efforts online and it has worked very well for me. I did an interview with a gallery out of Vienna Austria about the pandemic and art, I have been in several online exhibitions and on a 40ft digital billboard in NYC thanking healthcare workers. The pandemic has been difficult but also productive.
What support systems have you put in place to help keep your practice thriving amidst these unforeseeable circumstances?
I have moved most of by business online. My website has expanded and become more focused. I started an etsy store to sell prints which I would normally be selling at art fairs. I have become a lot more versed in shipping works and have done all interviews and panel discussions via zoom. I also started live streaming paintings. There really is not a lot more that I have done. I am doing significantly better this year with my work then last with the pandemic. In many ways I feel my art making practices are benefited by this situation. I am immune suppressed so couldn't go to all the events others could and often felt it was a handicap. However I feel the pandemic has somewhat leveled the field for me. Now everyone is online so it has been a lot easier to get my work out there, seen, appreciated, exhibited and purchased since the pandemic. I'm working to find other ways to make the most of this situation.
What methods do you employ to stay resilient in your art practice? What tips would you recommend to other artists who find staying resilient difficult?
I have had to be resilient through a lot of things in my life so it has become second nature for me to do so. When I was having difficulty sourcing materials I immediately began looking at other materials I already had as possible options. I think you have to bring yourself back to the basis of why you make art and remember that some of the best works of art have been made during times of crisis. My advice would be to take those stressors or hurdles and turn them into part of your work. Use your art to overcome the hardship and to process what is going on. I have spoken to several friends who have produced very little because they find it difficult to be resilient and focused. We are artists for a reason, its a need for each of us like breathing. So the best way to be resilient is to do what you do best, what makes you who you are, and put those feelings into it.
What have you learned about yourself as an artist this year?
I have learned that I can do anything I put my mind to. I already had the tools to get through this before it began. Being a BMT patient I already knew how to stay safe and social distance. I learned that when I focus on my work I can produce a lot of work in a short period of time. I have learned that I'm capable of more realism then I thought I was in my paintings. I have learned that I am capable of achieving some of the career goals I previously thought were impossible. I have also learned that I am very good at finding creative storage solutions for my work. That I can work under any circumstances and produce works i am happy with even with the most meager of available materials. I have learned, or rather confirmed, that art is what helps me heal and feel whole in this world.
Find Nayana LaFond on Instagram
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