Painting of the Day, November 6, 2011
Sunday, November 6, 2011 at 6:09PM Tweet By Donna Poulton
The night is dark. The moon will rise late, and when it does, I will be up. I have a canvas ready and a fresh candle in my lantern. My tent is insect-proof. My bed is a bag filled with pine fronds and covered with several layers of blankets. My pillow is my coat and overalls rolled up. I sleep deliciously. Through some unconscious working of the mind, I wake up because the moon is shining through the sides of my tent…I gather up my canvas and paint box and make my way to the spot selected for the painting of moonlight. On a stick stuck in a crack of the overhanging ledge, I hang the lantern and start in furiously [to paint]… -- William R. Leigh
Credit: Painters of Utah’s Canyons and Deserts
William R. Leigh (1866-1955), Rainbow Bridge by Moonlight, c.1922, oil on canvas, 36 x 48 in., Private Collection
Reader Comments (2)
Is there a published collection of great desert moonscapes? I'm sure there are enough pieces for an impressive book.
David,
There are a number of images of moonlight scenes in the book "Painters of Utah Canyons and Deserts," but no book dedicated to the subject that I know of. In about a week I'll be posting a desert nocturne series on My-West with about 12 of the very best moonlight scenes of the desert. But it is a brilliant idea to do an entire book as I believe there are enough to make a book worthwhile. Thanks so much for following the blog; it is a pleasure to read your comments.
Best regards, Donna