Sunset, Saturday, 13 June 2009

Stony Point, Albemarle County, Va. Oil on paper, 16 x 20.Tonight’s painting was carried out under the psychic protection of Paul Rosner, who came out into the back yard with me to brave the bugs. No fewer than 14 found their way into the surface of the paint. Paul, a member of Trees on Fire, was here for dinner with his wife Gillian Shasby and their kids Zoe, Noah, and Graeme. Gillian’s about to journey to Lesotho, to visit her brother and see Africa for the first time.

One of the evening’s conversations revolved (?) around the map of the world in our office, with the southern hemisphere at the top, and whether there is really any ‘up’ or ‘down’ to the earth – for example, if you were approaching it from space. There seemed to be some idea that there was no necessity for any polar orientation, but then there’s magnetism, an axis, and sunsets in the west.

Sunset, Friday, 12 June 2009

Stony Point, Albemarle County, Va. Oil on paper, 16 x 20.As I saw today on the walk with Flint, the wild blackberries are turning red and the smallest wild roses, the little white ones, which came out just behind the blackberry blossoms, have gone and given way to a primitive wild rose, about the size and shape of a dogwood bract except with five petals, magenta pink, everywhere underfoot in the wilder fields. About halfway on the walk I thought to look for ripe wild strawberries – it’s almost time, I think – but, with the rain we’ve been having, maybe they drowned. (Smiley face here.)

Tonight there was one cloud, orange-pink, both darker and brighter than the others. Woods were whitish-green from the rain rising off the fields.

Sunset, Thursday, 11 June 2009

Stony Point, Albemarle County, Va. Oil on paper, 16 x 20.Well, naturally, on the day we tell people about the Daily SUN Times, there ain’t none.

But perhaps that will help establish that these sunsets aren’t just another pretty face – that they’re at least as much about the daily transition, about the times, as about the expected appearance of the sun.

Sunset, Tuesday, 9 June 2009

Stony Point, Albemarle County, Va. Oil on paper, 16 x 20.A long day at the polling place – around 15 hours, during which time you’re not permitted to leave the building. I hope to add a report here tomorrow; it seems that one good use for all that time spent waiting for voters to come in may have been finding a name for this site.

Creigh Deeds won the primary, probably a good outcome. I’ll be back with more.

Sunset, Monday, 8 June 2009

Stony Point, Albemarle County, Va. Oil on paper, 16 x 20.Rain and lightning over the Blue Ridge, headed this way.

Tomorrow morning we get up at 4 to go work as county election officials in our precinct, for the Virginia Democratic primary ... and they don’t let us out until after the polls close at 7 and we’ve recorded the votes. Any registered voter can participate, but these primaries usually mean a very light turnout. So I’ll have some time, and depending on how much sleep I can get, may be able to write and sketch for tomorrow night ...

For all you pollsters whose calls I never picked up, at the moment I’m leaning heavily toward Creigh Deeds.

Update on Tuesday, June 9, 2009 at 05:10AM by BVD

I might add that that’s exactly the kind of thing I can’t say, breathe, or in any other way indicate, once I’m in the polling place. Something to be thankful for, seriously.

Sunset, Sunday, 7 June 2009

Stony Point, Albemarle County, Va. Oil on paper, 16 x 20.