Julia, with Corona Hair

8″ x 12″ – stained glass, iridescent glass, fused glass, vitreous tile, dinnerware, and Mexican smalti

This portrait of artist Julia Kay was inspired by a quick pencil sketch I made during a virtual gathering of the Julia Kay Portrait Party in 2021. At a time when much of the world was isolated, artists continued finding ways to connect, create, and support one another through online meetups and shared creative practice.

Like many of us during that period, Julia had embraced what became affectionately known as “corona hair”—the longer, less-managed hairstyles that emerged during months of lockdowns and closed salons. The transformation was especially amusing because over the years people & even face recognition software have occasionally mistaken Julia and me for one another. First we shared similar short hairstyles, and then, unexpectedly, similar longer ones.

What began as a quick observational sketch became a portrait celebrating friendship, artistic community, and the resilience of creativity during uncertain times.

For me, the piece captures a moment when friendship, laughter, and creativity helped sustain us through a season of uncertainty.

This work was selected for the Pensacola Museum of Art’s 2021 Juried Members Exhibition, where it received a Juror’s Award.

#63 in an ongoing portrait series of contemporary artists