Coping with COVID-19: The Invisible Realm
Felipe Posada AKA The Invisible Realm is a visual artist and creative director living and working in Brooklyn, NY. His work is rooted in digital collage, mixing both analog and digital techniques to create highly conceptual worlds. We ask him questions on how he's been coping with the restrictions of COVID-19 and staying home:
H+: We love a good home office. Tell us about your workspace!
TIR: I am used to working from home since back in NYC where my home office was an extension of my living room. Where I currently live, I am fortunate to have a full size room for my studio. It has a long built-in desk for my big computer + two monitors + laptop and behind me there is enough room for a small lounge area with a sleeper sofa and coffee table in case I
need to entertain clients...or spend the night Ha! I also have a large window overlooking the mountains, 2 large walls with decor and a large closet... I use the space to store prints/art/supplies/harddrives and my kid's art projects. It even has a bathroom...with a shower! Except for a kitchen I could basically live there.
H+: How does a daily practice of isolation and social distancing impact your working world?
TIR: For better or worse, my work routines haven't changed much. For the past year I've been working and leading teams remotely as well as producing art so when this whole thing happened I just eased into it. I miss being more socially active, but I also think there are cycles to everything so I am ok with riding the social distancing wave for as long as is needed. I am lucky to have a family so I am happy to focus all my social energy into them.
H+: Now that we have limited access to nature and social settings, what do you do to exercise your brain and stay inspired?
TIR: The social distancing part is pretty strict where I live, which is not great but necessary. I live in a city that is surrounded by mountains so there is easy access to nature: hiking trails, rivers, trees and mountains. To me, inspiration is so fluid and elusive that I know it always finds me where I least expect it as long as I am not stressed or under pressure. There is
uncertainty in the world right now but lately I've been able to take longer walks, I take longer pauses to stare at the horizon. I am more aware of sunsets, sunrises, cloud formations... I am more aware of the world around me. I realize I am meditating more without knowing it. And that keeps me going. Inspiration has continued to find its way to me.
H+: Have you discovered any hidden talents you can offer to potential clients looking for remote assistance?
TIR: Yes! Absolutely. More than discovering hidden talents, I've made a conscious effort to expand my skill set and dive deeper into subjects that I was passionate about but never made the time to improve. I am now far more proficient in CG design using advanced render techniques to create new compositions and assets. I enjoy creating my traditional surreal
collage but now I am able to bring in 3D into the mix as a regular tool and I feel that has taken my work to a whole new level. On the other end of the spectrum I am now intervening my traditional artworks with acrylic paint...something I didn't dare to try before. So I am stumbling my way into becoming a traditional fine artist... not just a digital fine artist.
H+: This has been an overwhelming and stressful time for so many people. Can you share some advice for coping while being a creative?
TIR: It certainly has. When it gets to me, I remember to take a pause and just breath. I also go back in time to moments when I thought things were just impossible but they still happened...so I remember that nothing is impossible. Life always finds its way. I look at the mountains and trees and try to imagine that a 100 years from now I will be gone and those trees and mountains will still be there, the clouds will be there, the sun will still shine...and none of those things will be different no matter how good or bad I decided to feel inside in the present moment. And that helps me to let go a bit of the tight grip that sometimes I crush myself with. I try to be thankful for the life I have which is abundant and plenty. But I set myself some high goals to achieve so I don't get too comfortable.
For more information on The Invisible Realm, visit his website and follow him on Instagram!