PAINTING GALAXIES

GALAXIES:  We don't KNOW what we don't know

The night sky has always fascinated me. Many of us living in more populated areas never see the Milky Way. Too much ambient light. But, when we get to a dark place and see it, it IS truly breathtaking.  Moving to New Hampshire, I'm on the look out for our "Milky Way Nights," clear skies with those lights twinkling away.  

Having never seen the Milky Way, if you get yourself away from cities and crowded suburbs, Look Up! You will recognize the Milky Way.

A natural outcome of being a landscape painter is to realize that the night is part of the world we live in. More appropriately called a skyscape, the night sky deserves representation.

Galaxy Paintings, Acrylics  on canvas with black light.  36 x24 ($450) and 10x10 ($100).

The "black light" photos above are a poor representation of the actual paintings. Imagine the  photo with ONLY the phosphorescent green illuminated...the effect is two completely different paintings! If you know how to photograph these appropriately, please e-mail me. Otherwise, use your imagination, or better still, visit "The Galaxy Room" in Freedom Gallery, (8 Elm Street, Freedom, NH 03836) Viewings available by appointment. Email me for more info. or to make an appointment  

More recent photo from Galaxy Room. Some of the small paintings are in a different order.
Paintings with regular light

Three major sources of inspiration get credit as my galaxy series continues to evolve.  First influence: the Hubble Telescope. Those photos are incredibly beautiful, reminding us that we really don't know what we don't know. With literally trillions of stars and accompanying planets, whatever else is out there, beyond our own little blue marble, is unfathomable. Star Trek, Star Wars and science fiction can only guess. Hubble has given us real life examples of the beauty and immensity. But, as one gallery goer said, "Immense, but we are all connected. We are part of that!"

Second very important influence goes to the art student/sales person at the Allentown PA Dick Blicks (art supply store), who, hearing me say I was painting galaxies, said, "Do you know about phosphorescent paint?" "No," I replied, "hook me up." She hooked me up to the most fun painting series I've ever done!  

Third influence goes to the Dick Blick stores in general  (At this point I shop the catalogue and go to the Boston, Landmark Store for their incredible array of paint type products, including mica gold and silver flecks, a variety of Pebeo products, glitter paint and glue, etc.)