Did I wake you up from your nap?

 

Dear Friends, 

Did I wake you up from your daily nap? 

This week, I was so surprised to discover that many of my friends are doctors, epidemiologists, economists, experts all of kind, prime ministers and even presidents, a gallery of potential Nobel Prize who have opinions and solutions on everything. 

The kind of friends of which my mother would say: "Why are you playing with them?". 

Martin S* from New York City cannot stop affirming that he "would have done ____ differently..."  when Chantal A* from Paris really thinks that "the situation could have been better handled if she..." Richard W* from Bayreuth believes that the world would be fine and the economy even better today with his...", not to mention Concha P*. from Madrid who "had in her hands, the precious elixir everyone is looking for...".

They remind me these kind of friends you take once to visit an art exhibition or a concert of music and they say out loud: "Is that art? I could have make it and better!" 

(But you didn't, A....*) says the little voice in your head. 

Oh Merdre! (no Bill it's not a typo), while I was pointing at my friends, my cake burned in the oven!  

(Oh by the way, did you watch my new lip sync video?)

Forget them for a minute and let's talk about who really matters: artists. They are seriously impacted by the confinement and there are three ways to support them this week: 

Give a job to artists with Hireartists.org, a worldwide project by Vallejo Gantner and a team of beautiful volunteers: artists are offering online skills - from accounting to grant writing, guitar lessons, and even card reading. 

Lucien Chef Ambition offers cooking classes and the all proceeds go to Anne Mourier's Take Care Emergency Fund for Artists. 

Read about artists with the lovely series "Artists Reach Out: reflections in a time of isolation" by Eva Yaa Asantewaa, a gallery of marvelous talents describing their confined life. 

Have fun with artists by following the Getty Museum who challenges you to recreate your favorite works of art at home (choose contemporary artists please). 

It's time now to go back to my kitchen and prepare the cooking classes of the week, with in mind the wise words of Zaketo, my father, a man of few words: 

"Don't point at others with a dirty finger"

Stay home (if you can), stay safe (always). 

Happy Easter, Happy Passover, Happy week,
Lucien Zayan
Director

*to protect "my friends", names and locations have been changed. 

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