Ethical Dilemma’s…. To ship… or not to ship, during these strange times?

With our country, and the world, going into lock down, and with the desperate pleas for people to STAY AT HOME…. I’ve been in an ethical dilemma for the past few days, on what my part is to play in all of this…

Art… Is it really a necessity?

By shipping art, and wax supplies; am I putting unnecessary pressure on logistics services, and the NHS?

My diary has changed beyond recognition this week…

I’ve cancelled all in person workshops, open days, and art retreats.  The Binnie Birstein scholarship I was awarded for The Encaustic Conference in The States, was confirmed as cancelled this week.   I was supposed to be at our #SheCan365 book launch this weekend… plus another two day event, also cancelled.

Like all of us, this past week has pulled the rug from under our feet, and we are having to re-evaluate EVERYTHING.

So, where does this leave me and my business?!!

I’m super pleased to have got so much of my work online over the past few months… strange that I was called to do that over the past year.

So, back to my original question, is art a necessity…?  Well, actually, I think it is…!

I’ve been doing short live videos every day since this mayhem started.  You can catch them live on my Facebook Page every day at 2pm, and, they are all linked up onto a ‘Satisfying Videos‘ play list on YouTube, for you to dip in and out of, or just watch at your leisure.

People are enjoying them, subscribers are going up, but the videos are leaving people with questions, wanting to try these techniques out for themselves, or wanting actual works of art for their homes…

Comments I’ve had just this week such as “wow… I’m so excited to try this…” and “I love it, can’t wait to get it framed…!”

So, with great reflection, checking in with suppliers, couriers, and government advice on when, how and what is acceptable to go out, I have decided that yes, I will continue shipping wax supplies, and art, within the UK, throughout these exceptional times.

We have to make choices based upon our personal circumstances.  To help you decide if my services fit with your ethos… this is my personal situation…

My family and I are isolating at home, as per Government guidance.  My husband is 100% working from home now, and I am doing the vast majority from home, only going to the studio when absolutely necessary.  I’ve brought lots of my supplies home.

(I am so grateful now for the house renovation project we’ve just been through.  That disruptive extension and loft conversion you’ve heard me talk about… is paying dividends at the moment!)

When I do go to my art studio, I go out the front door, and into my car, without seeing a soul.

My studio is on a farm, and those who have visited will know, it’s well off the beaten track!  I rarely see others there, and I am the only one to go in my studio.   I can take walks along the footpaths whilst I am there, and get some well needed exercise, safely.

So far so good….

This is where I will change my logistics moving forward.   You will get your order, but just not as quickly as you used to.

Before Covid, I’d pop to the Post Office, or a local drop off point, at any time of day, to get orders to you as quickly as possible.

Now, I will consolidate orders until I need to go out for essential supplies, or, onto a weekly courier collection, to minimise contact for everybody.   (This may well be a process I adopt on a permanent basis, I think we all have a lot to learn from this experience.)

If you are local to Sarratt, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted areas, I’m happy to provide local delivery, tied in with an existing trip.  (I would always make your delivery prior to a trip to the supermarket or chemist)

You are also welcome to collect from me, I live on the main road between Hemel and Berkhamsted, so contact me to arrange that, but please only on one of your essential runs.  We all need to do our bit.

Art is a necessity.  For our mental wellbeing.  It is salve for our souls, and we surely need that at this time.

As I sat at my studio yesterday, looking at a purple monochrome fantasy landscape, the dark colour felt perfect, it grounded me, and brought such a feeling of calm, and a sense of ‘everything will be okay’.    If I shut up shop, and stop shipping products, and art, that helps nobody.   I  will however, keep an eye on Government advice, and make changes to all of this if necessary.

So, for now, take a browse around my buy wax supplies, and art for sale pages.  I have lots more art over on Instagram, so contact me for those.  (With all this extra time on my hands, maybe I’ll finally get everything onto my website!)  Don’t forget to have a look at my online courses too.

Stay safe, keep creative, remember art is a necessity, take time for it, and lets all be as ethical as we can be in our choices.

Order through my website, e-mail me, julie@artyheaven.com, or just pick up the phone…  I’m here to help.