Rocky Lane, City Dock, Fredericksburg

Artist Marcia Chaves 
Oil,
The past year, frequent outings to the Fredericksburg City Dock eased the monotony and isolation of the Covid lockdown. On sunny afternoons it was a gathering place of sorts, where strangers would congregate (mostly masked, and socially distant) along the river’s edge to feed the geese, watch the commuter trains crossing the CSX bridge or simply contemplate the Rappahannock’s mood. At times I would turn my back to the river and sketch the Pump House, Rocky Lane, the spectacular display of the Toll House gingko tree in full autumn glory, and above, the elegant mansions of lower Caroline St. Sketched in “semi” plein aire from the warm comfort of my Nissan Sentra, Rocky Lane might be a metaphor for 2020, the long year of Covid pandemic, which has indeed been an uphill, dark and indeed rocky path, but with a glimmer of light at the top.