Moonrise Over Santa Fe

Size: 36 x 48 x 1.5 in

Medium: Oil On Canvas

Description: When I was running my commercial photography studio, I had a slight envy of photographers who just made photographic art. A commercial studio concentrates on fashion, beauty and product photography. Over those years I did manage to take thousands of artistic images but never really did any marketing to promote them. I always admired Moonrise Over Santa Fe by Ansel Adams, who I had the pleasure of meeting. For some reason that particular work had always left an impression on me. Over the years I’ve spent a lot of time in New Mexico. Even went to Taos to see Georgia O’Keeffe, but could not meet up with her due to torrential rain storms causing flooding and making the roads impassable. Back in Santa Fe, I knocked around a lot on Canyon Road, checking out the art scene.

The genesis of my painting called Moonrise Over Santa Fe was never predestined, but the thought apparently resided in my psyche. Like all my paintings I paint them without relying upon outside inspiration. In this particular piece it all started with the orb placed in the upper third, after that the elements came together. While viewing the completed piece in the studio my Muse suggested Moonrise Over Santa Fe. That immediately struck a chord. The turquoise clouds were the clincher and the adobe like architecture dominating the work made the interpretation complete in my mind. For me I find it both amusing, lucky and somewhat fortuitous that the paintings I created somehow find a name. Especially considering I try my best not to have a preconceived notion of what the canvas will ultimately reveal when I start laying down color.

Although it’s not a photograph, Moonrise Over Santa Fe recreates such memorable experiences and wonderful explorations of a truly beautiful state of mind.