The nature of collaboration is not always linear and sometimes intersections happen that plant seeds for future engagement. Roberto Lugo and Sarah McCann will discuss how a chance meeting, Baltimore residency and enduring artistic connection has set the stage for longer term creative collaborations. They will discuss what life might look like for artists who have deeply personal independent practices as they launch a collaborative creative endeavor.

Beyond the Mask of COVID is a portrait storytelling project inspired by an intimate conversation between nurse and social worker Heather Douglas and her mother. Making her first foray into using art as a means of expression, Heather collaborated with artist Tiffany Jones to bring to life the stories and voices beyond the mask. Together they discuss how art became a means of communication and community building.