Here is a picture of my studio this morning. I start work about 10:00 when the sun steadies up for the day. It’s not 10 yet so I’m doing this instead. Before I begin, I’ll light the candles in the fireplace. Then I will paint.

I read an opinion piece recently called (I think) “Mike Pence is No Profile in Courage”. I read it for a laugh … duh! … whoever thought he was! But I understand his heroism in a different way now. Yes, he was trump’s lapdog, fully ensconced in the alternate reality of his maga world. But as I examine things this morning, that’s precisely what makes his One Great Act all the greater. Aren’t we ALL fully engaged in the reality of our own world-bubbles? So to shatter, and expand beyond our own world-bubbles — well, that actually sounds like a real, authentic Profile In Courage to me. (Or, as I prefer to think of it, a Profile in Faith.)

So I’ve been painting these Ukraine paintings. I realize now, thinking of time as a landscape instead of a vector, that I’ve been engaged in this work for a while. Circling around it in the dark. Of course, thinking in clock time, I did start the Stripes series way before Putin invaded Ukraine. And as I have written, the little blood spattered Stripe painting was a complete mystery to me at the time. The instant I realized what Putin was planning all the dots connected. The entire landscape emerged from darkness and dust. Of course there was no question what I was supposed to do: the ultimate act — to create. The ultimate act of an artist — to light a candle in a dark room.

So I did these paintings. And as exposure for “Need Ammunition, Not a Ride” rose into the thousands, I decided this light should be brighter. (Plus friends have been asking me for prints.)

Then I got hacked. Russians I’m guessing … not going into the details here. And I started to feel a different kind of fear. When I told friends working with me on the print/poster project, they dropped out. I completely understand, of course. In one (material) reading of reality, they have a lot more to lose than I do.

But every time I leave my house I say a prayer. (There are some extremist in my geographic world, and they have expressed their disfavor with my life.) I pray not that they won’t burn my house down while I’m away … not that. I pray that they will let the pets out first.

So I’ll keep working on this. Lighting candles.