Li (aka Alia Pierre) is a poet, filmmaker, and performer - here she shares a sizzling spoken-word piece, straight from her apartment in Brooklyn, spreading light, wit, and warmth. You can follow her on instagram at @astoldbyli to see more of her work.

Watch Quiara Torres work on a painting, explain her process in working with dyes, and showing the resulting dyed fabric she will use in upcoming work. See more of her work on instagram @quiarat0rres .

Performing artist Kyana Brindle's work centers around healing and identity, reframing of personal and cultural narratives, and spiritual and artistic practice. Here, she offers a powerful video entitled "Tipped, And Poured Out", along with the following text: An offering to our individual and collective loss. "They say nothing is lost, Everything is transformed." Find more of Kyana Brindle's essential performance work at kyanabrindle.org/artist-work

Performance artist and musician Kiowa Hammons presents "Shelter in Space": "This is a recording of a daily check in meeting with myself. Embracing the feedback, glitches, and slapdash harmony of the technology many of us rely upon to converse in our current reality." KH See and hear more of Kiowa's work here: https://blissmuzakz.bandcamp.com/

Artist Barbara Hatfield shares her acute perception of her surroundings in this short, poetic video, composed of still life photographs and text. To see more of Barbara's painting, drawing, and photography work, visit her website, www.barbarahatfieldartist.com.

Artist Thad Higa shares tiny retractable zines and other book sculptures and contraptions. Find more of his work at www.thadhiga.com, and see his work in person at FiveMyles next spring!

Daonne Huff shares a new piece made in her home, along with the following text: Touch Hunger [It’s a real thing], 2020 “What is most impressive in the hospitals is not the ventilators, CT scanners or other high-tech wizardry. It’s the compassion and courage of health workers, and the intervention that struck me the most was decidedly low-tech — the hand-holding. Katherine Chavez, a nurse at Montefiore Moses, recalled a man in his early 40s with no medical history. He was intubated, and she spent 12 hours by his bedside as he struggled for life. “He would grab my hand, and I just kept telling him that everything is going to be OK,” she said.” Life and Death in the ‘Hot Zone’ by Nicholas Kristof, NYTimes digital edition, Sunday, April 12, 2020 To Start: WASH UP I talk dirty to an empty room Was Goldilocks feeling deprived? Just close your eyes and say, "Ahhhhh.” [beat] ACTION: Straddle Wrap Fold Mold Drape Squeeze Hold Embrace Cuddle All Furniture in the room you inhabit that previously was touched by occupied by another [beat] Hug a tree they said Just close your eyes and say, "Ahhhhh.” [beat] Now take an inventory around you / of Your surroundings now / How much is / smooth edges, rounded forms, bright hues, warm & consuming sinking beckoning close comfort into / Touch? / How much is / sharp corners, hard lines, cool hues, cold & shunning detracting rejecting close comfort into / Touch? / Where do you linger? / What do you hold? / What do you share? [resume] Why are the birds so loud now? Is it because the traffic has subsided? No, it’s mating season. You are your safest and most devoted lover. Just close your eyes and say, "Ahhhhh.” To End: WASH UP

George Simonds makes whimsical kinetic sculptures, and takes us first inside his Brooklyn apartment to show us his latest work, and then in North Adams, Massachusetts, where he had installed his work last Winter.

In these times of confinement and social distancing, we need other ways to stay in touch. At FiveMyles, we've decided to hire our past artists to make very short, direct videos as a way to keep alive the essential intimacy, connection, and stimulation that art can create. You'll see videos of artists in their homes, talking about their work or showing you snippets of what they are making right now, others will perform dances in their backyards or living rooms, some will read you their latest poems, or tell you a story. Welcome to "A few minutes with..."! In this first video, multimedia artist Connie Fu takes a walk on a deserted beach in Cleveland, OH, where she is now located. In her email to us, Connie said: "Thank you for including me in this project...without thinking about it too much I created something unexpected, which gave me joy and a sense of purpose and connection to my self (and hopefully others, when they see it)." Enjoy!