Woman's Work

TOP: Studio
RIGHT: Global News at Sparrow Artspace, Calgary

Throughout the pandemic, I had the opportunity to connect with numerous women and read extensively about the disproportionate impact of job losses on them. For various reasons such as family obligations, company downsizing, and other factors, many women's lives have been altered. Initially, I focused on women who had lost their jobs because I, too, had lost all my in-person teaching and exhibition opportunities. However, this situation provided me with the chance to concentrate on my painting and studies and accept an invitation to mentor other artists around the world online through Mastrius.com.

Although I had originally planned to feature stories and photographs of women who had suffered job losses during this time, I soon realized that sharing painful experiences could be challenging. As a result, I decided to welcome any woman who wished to be part of this project. I enjoyed painting portraits of each of these women who provided a sentence or more about their jobs, ranging from parenting and volunteering to working in any field or profession. Women's contributions to the world are essential.

WHERE Women Create Magazine:

Gil Tucker, Global News

There's a new Calgary effort to end some of the lingering inequalities that have been highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Artist Veronica Funk has put together an exhibit called Woman's Work, featuring portraits of 50 women who work in a variety of fields. Funk began connecting with them shortly after COVID hit in March 2020.

The project also includes those women's stories of how their lives changed during the pandemic. "I was really disappointed to hear how many women were disproportionately affected by job loss during the pandemic," Funk said. "Everything was falling on women again."