CORNING, NY (WSKG) - Many people are wondering what to do with their free time amid concern over COVID-19. One bar owner in Corning, NY showed us how we can still stay connected in our communities.
Bars across New York closed this week under a mandate from Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Vinnie Azzarelli is the owner of VOLO Bar and Lounge in Corning. He decided to turn tragedy into art and hung a 16-by-8 foot blank canvas outside his shop.
“I knew that I was going to have to close my doors to the public," Azzarelli said. "And I was trying to think of a way I could give back to the community that supported me for the last five-and-a-half years."
Azzarelli invited local artists and the public to share in creating art while this global health pandemic keeps people out of school and work.
“This more than anything else in our lifetimes, I'd say, is going to bring us all together because we're all in the same boat,” he said.
While Azzarelli wanted to send a message of unity at a time of social distancing, he asked that anyone who participated to put health safety first and keep six feet apart if there are multiple artists working at once.
According to Azzarelli, the community art project will stay up until the concern subsides.