The rediscovered delight of watercolors in pandemic times

When the Covid-19 pandemic originated from Wuhan in China in December 2019 and rapidly spread across the world, life went haywire with borders shut and countries transforming into islands. For months on end, thousands of people got stranded across the world, separated from their loved ones, while the others were forced to stay and work from home. It took several months for many to be reunited with their families. When the initial panic wore off and the world realised that the pandemic was in for the long haul, as proven over the past two years, people gradually got used to the precautionary measures. Masks, hand sanitisers and travel restrictions became the norm as a Covid-19 lifestyle eventually evolved, making it the new normal.The predominantly indoor life also prodded everyone to look for options to maintain their sanity. For many, the disconnect from the routine rush served as an inspiration to rekindle long forgotten talents or learn new skills. Longtime Doha resident and Indian national Sarah James recalls the initial months of the pandemic as a blend of work from home, intensive gardening, and hours and hours of cross-stitch craft."I used to take several completed cross-stitch pieces back home during the summer break to get them mounted and framed. But when Covid-19 prevented the 2020 and 2021 vacation travel, the pieces began to accumulate and after a few months it become sort of frustrating to leave all those creations packed in anticipation of the next trip," she told Community.It was when the pandemic entered the last quarter of its first year that James knew she had to divert her creative energy elsewhere. "I dontarget="_blank"'>