Just two years earlier, the science of mRNA was still unfamiliar to most of us. As a healthcare professional, I had assumed it would take four or five years before a viable vaccine appeared. Yet, barely into the pandemic, the language of cellular and humoral immunity had entered everyday conversation; debates over the merits of Moderna, Pfizer, and home-brewed remedies were the norm.

From this milieu, Artabode emerged. Initially conceived as a virtual exhibition to raise funds for three charities—PSALT Care, Noah’s Ark Cares, and Melrose Home—it brought together a generous community. Many offered lighthearted poetry and prose; kind photographers shared their images and memories; one contributor created a collage of lotuses. Others donated directly, in both cash and kind.

Artabode has always been sustained by friends and supporters. It is the hope that Photoconversations and the Artabode Website will continue to serve and entertain.