Lori Meeboer

Last Night

Painter, Corbyville, Ontario

How has the pandemic affected you?

As the pandemic hit, I was preparing for a show in downtown Belleville. I had approximately 25 pieces ready for the show, sitting in my studio. The investment in canvas and paint, as well as advertising, meant that I had a lot of money tied up in product that had nowhere to be seen or to be sold. I decided to go ahead with my show in a virtual setting and have now sold 14 of those pieces via @LoriMeeboerArt on Instagram. I’ve attracted buyers from all over North America and it’s been a great experience.

I also teach classes in my studio and in the community as Back Porch Originals. Since the beginning of the pandemic I have lost thousands of dollars in revenue from not being able to host classes. This has been tough, but what has been harder is not being able to connect with students in classes. I was trying to think of what I could do and how I could find a way to connect. I noticed a lot of parents were struggling with their children and schoolwork, so I created a few short instructional videos for pencil drawings. There was an overwhelming response, and it indicated to me that there was a need for people to find some semblance of normalcy. I hosted a Free Live FB class on Back Porch Originals and we had thousands of participants. The classes are live but the videos remain up and people can do them at their leisure. We have now hosted three free classes and plan to continue to find ways to provide this service to the community.

You'd Better Be Home Soon

How has life changed?

The in-person interaction in selling my art is gone. Everything is done electronically. I find that difficult. Not teaching classes in person is hard for me as well. One positive side effect is that in teaching virtually, people from anywhere can participate. That is a lovely coincidence.

If you have been involved in a collaboration, how did you manage that?

I am involved in a collaboration with Oak Bridge Academy (a school for children with learning exceptions in Waterloo, Ont.) to do an online fundraising paint class for their school. Nonprofits are suffering right now. Fundraising is close to impossible. Anything I can do to collaborate with community organizations is a win win.

Last Night

How has this experience affected your perception of the importance of art and artists?

I have really noticed when I am posting my paintings and classes on social media, people see it as a break from the bad news of the day. I really appreciate the fact that I can bring light and beauty into people’s lives during such a scary time. That matters to me. And I’m going to keep doing it.

lorimeeboer.com