Friday feel-good post: ‘Together While Apart’
Seabrook Island artist spans coasts with project

Deane Bowers set out to spread a positive message to fight prevailing "negativity, divisiveness, loss, and pessimism" running rampant with what she does best: making art.
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The creative process
Much of Bowers' art comes from repurposed items, and the only art supplies she had in abundance at the time were recycled shipping boxes: a certain sign of the times and familiar refrain from most of us in the early days of lockdowns and restrictions.
BONUS CONTENT: Bowers in her own words on the project, with pieces and their artists identified (YouTube)
The artists
- Deane Bowers (Seabrook Island, South Carolina)
- Liz Brent (Chicago)
- Sandy Buffie (Washington)
- Nikki Contini (San Rafael, California)
- Will Cooke with Jennifer Mildonian and Marcelle VanYahres (Charlottesville, Virginia)
- Lynette Driver (Brevard, North Carolina)
- Celie Gehring (Richmond, Virginia)
- Lynn Karegeannes (Asheville, North Carolina)
- Cathy Kleiman (Charleston)
- Dayo Johnson (Nashville)
- Amy Lauria (Painesville, Ohio)
- Rachel McLaughlin (Charlottesville, Virginia)
- Debbie Pompano (Hanover, Virginia)
- Rebecca Potts (Los Angeles)
- Frankie Slaughter (Richmond, Virginia)
- Jim Weaver (Florence, Alabama)
- Cindy Webb (Statesville, North Carolina)
Where is it now?
"The biggest thrill is that Together While Apart is featured on the Smithsonian's "Stories of 2020" online exhibit," Bowers said. The finished work is scheduled to be reviewed by the art review boards at both Cedars- Sinai Hospital in L.A. and McKissick Museum at the University of South Carolina. A large hospital in Richmond, Virginia is requesting to display it "for however long they can have it" and the Hickory Museum of Art has offered a six-month exhibit. And then? Bowers intends to gift to a non-profit or medical facility whose mission resonates with the group. They hope it inspires feelings of the love, warmth, and optimism that went into its creation. [caption id="attachment_46947" align="aligncenter" width="599"]