IGNITING PASSION WITH THE QUARTER by Veronica L. Holyfield
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or anyone who is deemed a creative, be it amateur or professional, the line between feedback and criticism is often obscure and blurred, and for artists of all mediums, putting work into the world is scary and often followed by negativity and nastiness. When seeking work, networking is essential, and once a job is booked, it is often necessary to collaborate with other creatives. However, how do folks proceed when the culture of creativity is often stifling rather than uplifting? The Quarter is trying to change all that for LGBTQ folks and allies through a collaborative and inspirational, online community. Founders and friends Sena Astorga and Caro Bernardini created The Quarter as a passion project to foster a safe space for creatives (artists, musicians, poets, writers, etc.) who embrace the LGBTQ community to contribute creative visions, provide and receive feedback from other creatives, and to connect with others who share similar artistic passions. Stemming from a combination of the words queer and art, the laid back, albeit deliberate approach of fostering such a community has truly sparked and ignited a synergetic energy for folks who were looking for just this. “One of the reasons why we created this community was to be a counterculture of what happens on the internet and to open a safe environment for everybody to show their stuff,” explains Bernardini. “People can criticize, and especially in our community or towards members of the LGBT community.” Astorga explains that the way in which people use social media and the internet to share and showcase their art can create an 8 \\ A U G U S T 1 9 , 2 0 2 0
unapproachable space for others. “People show off stuff like these grand, illusionary, one-ofa-kind types of art, and it's cool; their work is good, but it does come up very intimidating for someone who's just starting out or is not used to showing their work. It becomes really discouraging,” Astorga confesses. The nature of art in and of itself is extremely vulnerable, and oftentimes for LGBTQ folks, it can be a way of healing through trauma, rejection, and societal marginalization, and for feedback and critique to come from a place other than positive and helpful can be extra damaging. Through extensive sharing of their own pieces, either finished projects or works in progress, Astorga and Bernardini have seen engagement grow, and people of all skill levels and artistic mediums are sharing their work and receiving kudos and encouragement. From a place of authenticity and a genuine desire to create a collaborative community, The Quarter is thriving, and the founders couldn’t be more thrilled. Having only been active since June of this year, the Facebook group has already amassed a large following of active and eager participants by the collective encouragement of both Astorga and Bernardini. The Quarter has members who are painters, graphic designers, cross-stitchers, writers, woodworkers, and even hairstylists. The page's discussion feed not only features projects, but, there are recommendations of books, queer artist features from magazines, and even funny memes to keep everyone feeling inspired.
