Mooning around

Those who read my blog from time to time will know that I am endlessly fascinated by the moon. The full moon makes me restless and sleepless, but also enervated and ready to paint at the same time. Did you know we’re at 4% of full, on a waning moon at the moment? I follow the moon’s waxing and waning each day, and watch the night sky for interesting variations. Although of course, for me, they’re all interesting…

Once I have some photos I like I play with them in Photoshop. My husband, Tony, can’t quite see the point no matter how much I wave my hands at him as I try to explain 😉  For me the endless crops, adjustments and colour combinations reinforce the colours I like – or don’t – and the constant looking at the image of the moon make my brain familiar with the shape so when I come to paint it my brain and hand know the end result I’m after. Picturing the moon is as familiar as doing up my shoe laces or driving a car.

I have a couple of friends who question my need to keep picking at one or two themes, such as the moon, poppies, the freezing works. I don’t bother defending myself; what I choose to paint is up to me and me alone. But I will say this – did Van Gogh paint too many sunflowers, or Jasper John’s create too many flag images? Thought not! There could never be enough works by Emily Kngwarreye for my liking either. Don’t know her work? Try Google images – amazing. I’m not deliberately trying to create a style that is recognizable in the way that galleries sometimes suggest. Art is a pleasure for me, not a career path. I am simply doing what is in my heart and in my soul; I am following what drives me. I’ll keep photographing the moon and playing with the images until it doesn’t grab my heart anymore – in the meantime, here are some of my latest images.