Beaver Galleries is giving art lovers a behind the scenes look with its Artists in Lockdown series - with online Q&As with the gallery's artists giving us all a reminder that while we may be living a Groundhog Day, everyone's experiences are still very different.

"We tend to become a little self-obsessed with Covid and our little routines, and we're all dealing with it in different ways," Beaver Galleries co-owner Martin Beaver says.

"It's nice to see how other people do it. And in the arts, I think a lot of people are curious as to how others survive.

"These are innately creative people, so you give them a space and a context, and they will do something really interesting. To a certain extent, this has almost forced them into that position."

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Of course, letting people know about the lives of the artists Beaver Galleries represents is not new.

While you weren't given the artist's pre-filled questionnaire when entering the Deakin gallery pre-lockdown, the conversations had were as much about the artists as it was about the artworks.

The questionnaires about routine, inspirations and lockdown rituals are just a way of bringing these conversations online.

"I don't think a lot of people understand how the visual arts works and so it's telling the story of the artist, as well and it's keeping people engaged," Beaver says.

"When people have a bit of an insight into the artists, they tend to become more interested in their work. Our job is to promote the work of the artists and so actually telling a little bit about them, and letting people peek behind the curtain a bit.

"Everybody loves peeking into somebody else's workplace. I think that's human nature and it's putting a face to the art and other artists always love it too, because they like to see what studios other people are operating from. So it's just keeping all the network open."

Among the artists already featured are Alex Asch - whose lockdown routine usually includes a walk to the Queanbeyan River - Jenny Orchard - who has found herself painting landscapes with strange animals - and Dianne Fogwell - who has found lockdown means sees time as more precious.

As well as posting the Artist in Lockdown series on its Facebook page, Beaver Galleries also has online exhibitions for the two artists who were on show when Canberra went into lockdown.

For one of the artists, Graham Fransella, this is the second time Covid has impacted his scheduled exhibition at Beaver Galleries. Last year, his planned exhibition was impacted due to transport delays.

"To be fair, some artists have enjoyed Covid. I know that sounds a little bit strange, but because a lot of their other commitments have gone away ... they've been able to focus on being in the studio, and they have gotten into a nice rhythm," Beaver says.

"A lot of people have said they've been able to do things in a couple of months that maybe would have taken them years to develop in a normal, more social occasion."

For more information go to beavergalleries.com.au or find the gallery on Facebook.

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