New Paintings

I haven't written this blog for a while due to being extremely busy with artwork and projects. This is one of my new paintings, 'Moonlit Mountain,' acrylic on canvas, 38 x 28 ins.

More posts will follow! 

Moon Paintings

For this post I'm including a few paintings inspired by the moon. I began painting this theme during lockdown. At the time I didn't realise why the moon had become so important to me, it seemed to be on my mind because I was walking late at night. Then I reflected on the theme and I felt that the moon is suggestive of eternity and the continuance of normality during the difficult time of Covid-19. It became a symbol of optimism and the change back to normality. The above painting is called 'Moon Lake,' and it is acrylic on canvas, 29 by 43 cm. As I painted, there appeared a dark lake and suggestions of water and a moon above. This painting went through quite a few changes. I left it for a month but it called for more work and I finished it with thicker paint, feeling my way through emerging shapes and colours. When a painting calls for more work I usually pay attention. I've destroyed a few paintings by pushing too far but with this one I was glad I searched further.

The above painting is called 'Rings Around the Moon,' (acrylic on canvas, 25 x 20 cm). It evolved completely from laying down paint and allowing a scene to emerge.

'Moonscape,' (acrylic on canvas, 29 x 43 cm) also evolved from the paint and laying down stains and marks. It went through quite a few changes and gradually suggested to me a rising moon over an autumnal landscape.

This final painting is not so much about the moon but suggests that last warm light of dusk just before the moon appears. Though I was going to work further, I decided I liked the simplicity of the image and its suggestiveness. 'Dusk,' acrylic on canvas, 20 x 25 cm.

Inspired by the Moon: A Series of Summer Paintings part 1

''Rainfall Moon,' acrylic on canvas, 92 x 73 cm, 2020

As summer races by, I've felt incredibly inspired by several different experiences, alternating between abstraction and abstract figurative themes as paint suggested new approaches. One of the reasons I haven't posted for quite a while has been the intensity of my excitement and the momentum of working almost daily. 

The moon has often appeared as a theme over the years. As I love to walk at night, in the UK, Cyprus and other countries such as China, I have always found night to be full of mystery and open to boundless imagination. In Cyprus I often watched the moon as it rose luminous and green on the horizon and turned to pink, orange and finally yellow. Sometimes I've been surprised by a sudden view of the large Harvest moon behind some trees and I wanted to try to convey some of the magic I've felt. There's also something unseen, and a sense of the beyond, in particular beyond this planet, that the moon brings to mind for me. At a time of coronavirus and many global problems, watching the moon reminds me of the vastness of the universe and makes me question the meanings of our existence.

Light and the time of day often feature in my work and the moon theme gives me the chance to play with ideas about colour, calligraphic brush strokes and shapes. Some of the paintings focused on the developing interest in the process of making imagery and different ways to apply paint. Sometimes paint parallels light and the work veers towards abstraction.

The first painting is about the summer rain, of which we had little in the UK. I was thinking about the last warm colours as dusk fades to night and the rain streaming down, obscuring a landscape. It was painted with thin layers and was unplanned, the way I always work.

'Rainfall Moon,' (2) acrylic on canvas, 92 x 73 cm, 2020

This second painting is still in progress. I'm brightening the moon and tweaking a few other areas. I love this size of canvas, (and larger), and this painting is also quite layered with translucent and opaque paint. I layer paint until an image emerges and I feel transported to a new place. 

Here are a few more moon paintings, some more figurative based and some abstract.

'Moon, Mountains and Forest,' acrylic on canvas, 25 x 20 cm 2020

'Moonlit Terrain,' acrylic on canvas, 25 x 20 cm, 2020

'Lavender Moon,' acrylic and ink on canvas, 50 x 60 cm, 2019

'Moon Over Brighton,' acrylic on canvas, 30 x 23 cm, 2018

And two of the more abstract paintings in which I was thinking of the emotional experience and loving thick paint.

'Moonlit Landscape,' acrylic on canvas, 30 x 23 cm, 2019

'Scents of the Moon,' acrylic on canvas, 30 x 23 cm, 2020

This last one is about the delightful fragrance of summer which I often associate also with walking along the coast at night or through landscape. It's a fragrance that's quite hard to define but is slightly perfumed, sweet, and uplifting.

I will post more of my moon paintings this week and also some of the new landscape/abstracts I'm working on.

If you would like to see more of my new work, my website is:

https://www.fionastanbury.com/gallery_759043.html