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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Pandemic Portraits: Life behind the mask

Sharon Sedgwick photographed with grandson Kai, age 5. Sedgwick, who lives in Idaho, has been staying with her daughter in Spokane to help out where she can. “We’re doing OK,” said Sedgwick. “We did curbside pick up from Michaels and got a ton of paints, crafts and stuff. We’re also digging in the garden outside.” (Colin Mulvany / The Spokesman-Review)

Is this the new normal? Having to mask and glove up before leaving the safety of our homes? Protecting ourselves from an unseen virus that can be present anywhere other people are gathered? The grocery store. The hardware store. The fabric store. These places, full of essential workers, are where I found my subjects. Customers, outside, in line, practicing social distancing as they waited for their cue to enter.

Sharon Sedgwick photographed with grandson Kai, age 5. Sedgwick, who lives in Idaho, has been staying with her daughter in Spokane to help out where she can. “We’re doing OK,” said Sedgwick. “We did curbside pick up from Michaels and got a ton of paints, crafts and stuff. We’re also digging in the garden outside.” (Colin Mulvany / The Spokesman-Review)
Sharon Sedgwick photographed with grandson Kai, age 5. Sedgwick, who lives in Idaho, has been staying with her daughter in Spokane to help out where she can. “We’re doing OK,” said Sedgwick. “We did curbside pick up from Michaels and got a ton of paints, crafts and stuff. We’re also digging in the garden outside.” (Colin Mulvany / The Spokesman-Review)Buy a print of this photo

Masks usually hide the face, but for this portrait series, I found humanity behind the mask. Each obscured face, each set of eyes, tells a different story. Whether it be anxiety about their jobs, school, child care or elderly parents. Or for some, I found purpose in their eyes, having fully embraced the upheaval of their lives, knowing this pandemic, like other challenges in life, too shall pass.