Sunflower, Daniel D. Brown PhD, 2021
A block from our house lives a couple with 2 daughters. We’ve never actually met them, though we’ve said “hi” or exchanged nods many times when we used to walk Bandit by their house (he loved their corner). Every year they plant a long beautiful row of sunflowers directly across from my bus stop, which makes my morning commute significantly brighter. The girls also regularly decorate the sidewalk with chalk drawings. More than once they’ve left a question or greeting on the sidewalk for passers by, and my wife has responded with her own drawings (we may have bought chalk solely for this purpose). Basically, they make our neighborhood a happier place. This was particularly helpful when walks around the neighborhood were all we had during covid and Bandit’s decline at the end.
So I decided to make a simple sunflower and leave it on their porch. I intended for it to be even simpler and quicker than this… but many of you know how that usually goes for me.
I assume they’ll find me here and see this. So I’ll just say: Hi neighbors! We’re Daniel and Tamaryn. Thanks for brightening up the neighborhood!
I made this “intarsia” over 3 days from yellowheart (also called “pau amarello”; from Brazil) and black walnut from our neighborhood. No paint/stain. The simple center patterned was burned via pyrography. It’s finished with oil only. It will probably end up weathering outside, but that’s the nature of wood, and it could end up even prettier with age. Or it could fall apart. lol. It’s a mystery! Slap some more oil on it next year to revitalize it. Or let the girls paint it. Or just let nature slowly reclaim it.
