Her art and prayers fight COVID-19 fear
Usually clever memes and social media posts would get a “like” from me. But in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, a recent moving post sparked me to share the creation in this column. “Really nice. Really timely,” was my immediate response last week to seeing and reading a Facebook post by Bronxbased veteran artist Laura James, whose parents were born in Antigua. James specializes in amazing works featuring religious themes and Bible dramatizations.
Her March 16 post — on the “Laura N James” Facebook page — linked six pieces of her moving religious-focused art creations with this simple, positive statement: “No matter who you believe in, let’s all meditate on healing our planet and its inhabitants.”
The colorful and inspirational paintings include “Buddha In Deer Park”; “Yemaya” (the West African goddess who is respected in Haiti’s Vodou religion); “Sermon On the Mount” (featuring Jesus with outstretched arms), and a vigilant “Guardian Angel.”
James — interpreting that “humanity is worried” about the virus crisis from news reports and “posts are from every corner of the globe” — shared her artbased message of hope.
The artist intentionally shared works that represent various religions of the world to express the concern for, and connect with, coronavirus victims around the globe.
“Religious or not, humanity must get on common ground as a global family; it’s time,” said James, who featured paintings representing “various belief systems” in her post. “I made this post because I wanted to show an example of how one person can easily appreciate and respect different sacred traditions and all people, and we can all do that,” James said.
On a personal note, her painting post came after the “Bronx Now 2020” exhibition of works from more than 30 artists, was postponed due to coronavirus-related crowd restrictions. The third-annual exhibition was curated by James and Eileen Walsh.
On such post was shared by Ina Dillon, who hosted the Caribbean-American talk and entertainment “Ina Dillon Show” and the ChatCaribbeanStyle. She presently follows coronavirus information and shares news from credible sources.
“Lord, please give us Your strength during these trying times to have faith over fear and know that my family and friends will remain protected and safe,” was the prayer Dillon passed on from the “Kelly’s Treehouse” Facebook page of messages containing “growth, love, inspiration, peace” and sometimes “funny” memes.
Central Brooklyn’s virus news
Central Brooklyn made the news last week when a priest at St. Matthew’s Church in Crown Heights and an aide to Rep. Yvette Clarke tested positive for the coronavirus.
Official from the Catholic Church’s Diocese of Brooklyn said St. Matthew’s — and Sacred Heart of Jesus in Glendale, Queens — will be cleaned and sanitized according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
A Queens priest also tested positive for coronavirus. And both priests celebrated Mass in their parishes last Sunday. The 186 parishes in the Brooklyn Diocese were closed last Friday by concerns over the spread of coronavirus. Clarke’s Brooklyn office staffer’s positive test is the first known case in New York’s congressional delegation. The staffer reportedly attended an event last weekend and learned afterward that someone at the affair had the virus, said Clarke’s communications director Sarah Sinovic.
After a precautionary test, the aide got a positive result. The staffer has been in self-quarantine since early last week, said Sinovic.