During the Covid 19 pandemic I was furloughed from the Walt Disney Company as a Disney Imagineer. It was a terrible feeling after I had worked for the company for over 14 years. At the time everybody was optimistic that the furlough would soon end and we’d all be brought back to work!

That didn’t happen. After working so hard to become a respected designer and art director, I became one of the 30,000 employees that were laid off. I had already put together my home studio, preparing to work there after Covid had reared its ugly head and before the Disney furloughs started.

So now, how do I spend my working hours and where? Well, I took off the sliding doors on the closet in our guest room and created a very cool studio niche. That is where I do freelance work, practice new software, carry on zoom meetings, and create my personal art. This space has become so amazingly therapeutic for me—which I never expected!

I am now working hard to make contacts that I hope will ultimately turn into long-term relationships. I’ve met some of the most kind and helpful people during this time, many from my alma mater, ArtCenter College of Design.

The Pandemic has given me precious time to engage more with artists I already know, and to meet and share with talented artists who I’ve newly discovered. It has also given me the time to rethink the work I want to do.

This terrible pause in our lives has actually given me time to reflect on what brings me true happiness in life. And when the solitude really starts to get to me, I rely on my faith but also for me, working out—lifting weights especially helps me. The Pandemic has helped me to focus on family first, to hopefully become a better person, more caring, and I think that now comes through in my art.

Instagram: @markjpage
Website: https://www.markpagedesign.com

workspace_2021