Painted Paper Lanterns

During the initial lockdown of NYC during Covid, the one thing that kept Otis afloat was leasing the vacant lot next door. It used to be home to ‘burners’ who would park their travel party buses/homes. Once they ran for the hills, we made it into our Otis oasis.

I took the initiative to beautify the tacky white plastic tent we used during the winter for outdoor seating. I hand painted about 20 white paper lanterns and hung them from the tent ceiling. It was mid December and my fingers would cramp up trying to tie them on to a frozen steel bar while hanging off the side of a ladder. Once I finished, it really was lovely watching my illustrations of farm animals and fish sway gently in the wind.

Pork Butts