It’s hard to think about the COVID-19 pandemic in inspirational terms, given the woe that is being left in its wake. But that’s what artists do: capture beauty and grace amid pain and suffering. That’s what makes a new photography exhibit at the James A. Michener Museum so notable, reports Jamie Stover for WFMZ. 

“Essential Work 2020: A Community Portrait” comprises 20 photos that encapsulate the local impact of COVID-19.  

“The inspiration comes from a difficult time,” said Zimra Chorney, one of the featured photographers. Her entry depicts a sanitation worker. “I was inspired but the struggle of this man who collects our disposable things and with a wonderful, wonderful attitude,” Chorney said. 

Heidi Roux’s featured work shows a Kindergarten pod inside her home. “I instantly thought of how essential learning, not just learning, but socialization and development is for children,” Roux said. 

Another image, showing a husband and wife holding hands for the last time, before the husband passed away is one of the more emotional photos. It was taken by a hospice worker.  

The gallery features a wide variety of jobs and actions considered essential, including ministry and activism. 

Read more about this exhibit — open through July 11 — at the WFMZ site, here.