The pandemic gave Adam Swanson time to complete 14 paintings of endangered animals. But it also gave him time to think. In this short documentary by filmmaker Mike Scholtz, Adam wrestles with the importance of art, and art openings, in our lives.

This is the last in a series of nine videos, each featuring a local artist working through the pandemic. You can find the entire series posted to a permanent page, Creating Apart. These videos are just a small part of a larger project called “Stories of Wisdom from Bodies in Separation: Archiving the Coronavirus Pandemic Through the Lens of Humanities” which was organized by UMD professors David Beard and Devaleena Das. They received a Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to fund this project.

Ten local oral historians are currently conducting interviews for this project. Look for additional articles and artwork inspired by those interviews on Perfect Duluth Day throughout the fall and winter.