In a grounding display of bravery, New York resident Julia Woods has announced she has no plan to begin a creative project during the current period of partial self-quarantine in response to COVID-19.
“At this time, I have no intention to begin or a resume a past creative project,” Woods said. “Though I cannot speak to all possible contingencies, I will say it is highly unlikely this will change, and barring unforeseeable future events such as a stroke of genius or loss of WiFi, I will not attempt to create anything whatsoever.”
While Woods may be swimming upstream against the current of quarantine-induced creative productivity, she proves that one woman putting her foot down can still have an impact.
“When Julia posted an Instagram story saying she wasn’t going to write, paint, fabricate, or otherwise bring anything creative into existence during this quarantine, that really inspired me,” said an acquaintance, Chala Friedman. “I kept seeing friends and loved ones proclaiming their intention to write a pilot, get into creative non-fiction, or even just do some serious journaling. I started to panic.”
“In these frightening and uncertain times it’s so important to remember that we are still free to not create,” Friedman added.
Though Woods is already changing the game with her refusal to plan a creative undertaking, the living beacon of hope and resistance hasn’t stopped there.
“Yesterday I went into the living room and saw all these magazines and glue sticks on the table,” said Woods. “That’s when my roommates invited me to collage with them.”
It’s clear the disturbing event is still difficult for Woods to recall. But as in all areas of life, she took a deep breath and persevered.
“It would have been easy in that moment to give in and just do a little collaging,” said Woods. “But I did manage to say no. I’m not gonna collage; I’m gonna lie in bed and watch TV while also scrolling through Twitter. I’m still human. I still have my dignity. And this virus can’t take that away from me.”
Chills! We have them! Maybe we should get that checked out.
Keep not creating, girl! We might just not, too.
