Cheryl Quejada-Canning underwent a 2-week hotel quarantine with her husband Ken, when they returned to Australia last May after 14 months of trying to get a flight from the Philippines.
Early on their stay at the hotel quarantine in Sydney, the couple noticed the amount of trash that they accumulated each day from the food ration they are receiving, in particular the paper bags that can be recycled.
"I thought I could make use of them for my arts," says the Quezon Province-born artist.
Highlights
- A person’s creativity comes useful especially during idle times and they are confined in one place.
- Cheryl Quejada-Canning wasted no time while she was in her 2-week quarantine.
- Through her creativity, she turned used paper bags into art canvas.
Cheryl was able to collect over 40 used paper bags and repurposed them as canvass for her drawings. Source: Cheryl Quejada-Canning
Making arts while in quarantine
The 2-week hotel quarantine did not concern the couple, Cheryl and Ken Canning, after landing in Sydney from Manila last May 15. They were well aware of the need for quarantining.
They just have to find something to be busy with while they are restricted to their hotel room.
For Cheryl, she knew that arts will keep her sane.
"When I do my art, I pace my own time. I take my time contemplating, then I do my sketches and then I do my writing and before you know it, I’m finished with it," shares the Art by Ninjada artist.
In their 14 day-hotel stay, food packs packed in paper bags would arrive outside their hotel room.
Mrs Canning would keep the paper bags from the food delivery and in a couple of days of collecting them, she thought of repurposing them.
"That's when I realised that I can actually use those paper bags as my canvas," she says.
With limited resources, she has to make do with what she has - a set of oil pastel she was able to bring from the Philippines and coffee.
"I used coffee as a substitute for pencils," sharing how she finds ways to be more creative.
They may have restricted movement in their hotel room, but Cheryl Quejada-Canning feels great she was able to continue doing her art.
'I made used of those recyclable bags we have saved from the food packaging for the food that were being delivered to us while we are here at quarantine.' Source: Cheryl Quejada-Canning
"I believe you have to be creative. You can make use of everything. That’s what artists do anyway," she says.
Happy to be back in Australia
Cheryl and Ken Canning were well-aware that they will have to undergo a 14-day hotel quarantine as part of the Australian government's measure to ensure they are not bringing in any trace of the coronavirus from the Philippines.
"I documented my time in quarantine; not many people can do that anyway, so I did it."
"Doing some artworks also helped me get by during our time in quarantine," the artist shares.
Two weeks in quarantine is nothing compared to the 14 months of waiting to be able to comeback home. Their quest to be home was not easy, sharing the pain and cost of 6 flight cancellations.
They consider themselves lucky unlike other Australians still stuck overseas and waiting to be back to Australia.
Cheryl and Ken Canning are now out of the quarantine and had a negative COVID-test but it will take a long time before they finally become comfortable going out and socialising with other people, especially since they are both accustomed to their coronavirus saga in the Philippines - just been staying home for the past 14 months because of the restrictions and lockdowns there.
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