The moon. Breathtaking. Beautiful. Ever-changing and as connected to the ocean as Newport is to the abundance it provides. Here is the moon in all its glory, basking in the glow of earthshine; playfully hiding behind a wisp of cloud; slipping in front of the sun and revealing the rugged terrain of its rock-blasted surface. In fact, the moon is almost exactly 400 times smaller than the sun. It just so "happens" that it is almost exactly 400 times closer to the earth than the sun. This set of pretty amazing facts that some call a coincidence makes it possible to experience eclipses. Any smaller or farther and it would be too small to entirely extinguish the sun's light. Any bigger or closer and there would be no Corona or ring of fire. Only darkness.
The Milky Way is an elusive target. It is tough to see with the naked eye and changes its position and orientation throughout the year. When it is found, with the right exposure, it is an awe-inspiring sight that overshadows the landscape it rises above. These are my Milky Way prints.
I looked to the heavens and found beauty, but then I learned to find it right here. Right in front of us. Whether it's the golden color of the sun transmitted through mist during golden hour at the airport, waves of light undulated across the sky during a Northern Lights display, or the boom crash of a wave into a rock captured as the awesome display of energy transfer blasts the water into millions of droplets; these are the beautiful things around us that don't require a telescope.
Galaxies. Star clusters. Nebulae. Deep space targets are my favorite clients. They appear almost unchanging yet show a new aspect every time they are imaged. A little detail here or a pop of color there. Of all the nebulae I've imaged, there is only one I feel I was able to capture at its full potential: the Rosette Nebula. My other pieces are still waiting for me to perfect my craft and render their beauty accurately enough that a short glance evokes gasps and goosebumps. Welcome to the Far Places, a collection of Deep Space Objects.
Our closest star is a nuclear reactor with incredibly strong magnetic fields that draw plasma from the surface and send massive flares when they snap. The sun's surface is constantly changing and is covered with interesting features that are revealed with a hydrogen alpha filter. The sun transforms the landscape as it rises and sets. These pieces celebrate the sun.
These pieces will all be on display and available for purchase at the Oceanside Flooring Winter Art Show on December 14, 2024, in Waldport. The "Slim Crescent" is donated for raffle. I'll also have photo prints and calendars available. Contact me with questions. The show will be from 11am through 5pm on Saturday, December 14, 2024 at Ocean Flooring in Waldport: 225 N Bay Street, Waldport, Oregon, 97394. There will be music, coffee, and five other local artists there.
