The Same Moon*

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The Same Moon*

We all Gaze Upon the Same Moon: For this painting, I wanted to express the unity we have as the human race. We are all bound to this one Earthy planet, and our satellite, the moon, is something we all have in common. We see the same phases and 28-day cycle, we see the reflection of the sun's light at night, and we only have to look to the heavens to find our connection to one another, no matter how far away geographically we are.

I created this artwork style, which I call my "Tile-Inspired Series" because of my love for the ceramic art tiles from the early 1900s. Grueby, Rookwood, Teco (among others) were creating beautiful decorative narratives with their landscape tiles. Since my medium is paint, I wanted to stay true to my roots and try to create a new style of painting that evokes a similar feeling to the tiles of yesteryear.

I start with an acrylic panel, then add sculptural molding compounds to the surface to create the high relief that's seen in the bronze-painted outlines of the shapes. Once it's dry, I can sand the forms and then I let the acrylic paint pool in the reservoirs I've created to get a glaze-like effect.

Artwork and words (illuminated verse) by Julie Leidel, 2022.