A Day in the Life

We check in with artist Katherine Moffett on how she's spending her days under quarantine in New York City's East Village. Keep reading to discover how creativity and inspiration survive, even in the middle of a pandemic.

P.S. Learn more about Moffett—and shop the exclusive tote she illustrated for us—here.

Take us through your typical quarantine day…
I am a late and prolific sleeper. I usually start the day watching Cuomo’s daily briefing, making sandwiches and drinking ice coffee. I am very lucky that I’ve been able to sneak up to my roof and can go there to think and journal with a beautiful view of a Ukrainian church dome and the Cooper Union buildings.
My husband and I are both working from home, pretty much right next to each other. Work has been slow so I’ve finally made time to work on a line of hand-painted pillows and other household objects I’ve been planning for a long time.
If I am craving sugar I will bake. I love baking and never made time for it before. Some days my husband and I will go on long, meandering (masked) walks thru the West Village and longingly look at cafes we want to come back to.
At 7 PM we cheer out the window for our essential workers! I also have a tiny herb garden I started on the fire escape and a cushion so sometimes I go out there for the 7 PM cheer. The cheer is important because it reminds us how good we have it and how so many are putting their lives on the line for the love of their fellow New Yorkers.
Several times a week I make a cheese plate and my husband and I have a “date” so we have something to look forward to. We spend so much time together but having time allotted to just hang out is so fun. Also Zooming with friends has been such a joy. We’ve been reconnecting with old friends and spending even more time chatting than we would have regularly.

Where have you been getting your inspiration?
The album The Magic Place by Julianna Barwick has been playing a lot. Its beautiful, echoing sounds go through the apartment and makes the space feel bigger and more inspiring.
I’ve been studying and painting details from photos of my last trip to Italy. Also, I’ve been going through my back issues of Vogue and Architectural Digest. A lot of imagining spaces beyond this railroad apartment.
For all the claustrophobia, I am inspired and enjoying the slow-down. I spend a lot more time thinking and a lot less time running around. It’s brought what is important to focus and what we should better imagine for the future.

What are you most looking forward to doing once lockdown is over?
I really want to sit at a bar and eat a burger and go have crab legs at Jeffrey’s Grocery. And see my friends in real life!