I have a confession: I have been very obsessed with the Artemis II mission, and very emotional as well. The other day I was crying into my morning coffee on my front porch and my neighbor saw me and I was actually happy to announce that I’m crying because Christina Koch is the first woman to fly to the moon and she lives in Galveston and I met her. Does it matter that I met her? Maybe. Possibly not. But then again… I don’t know her well or anything, we only met briefly and share some friends, but to think that a gal I sat next to in yoga class 15 years ago, one who came to see my watercolors at Art Walk once and complimented me on my rubber skull and roses cowboy boots which I had paired with a black lace dress, is now orbiting the moon is surreal, magical, and inspiring in the best way possible. She’s my age, too. 47. It’s not always easy being a 47 year old woman, your hormones take you on emotional roller coaster rides that could annihilate a lesser being, but heck, a 47 year old woman can wrangle all that chaos into submission and fly it to the moon. On a full moon, no less! Go Christina! Thank you for the reminder that we can do everything we set our minds to. As women and as humans.
In fact, humanity needed this mission badly. We needed some perspective. A reminder of how small we are, but how mighty we can be. A reminder that we’re in this together. That we have a beautiful blue planet with water and air and plants and animals and other wonderful things and that we should take better care of it. That we should take better care of each other. That we should work together, not against one another. That we can fly to space listening to Pink Pony Club, and circle the moon while broadcasting live.
On my end, I obviously had to do something with all these emotions. I started by working on a watercolor portrait of Christina Koch, but fresh art supplies had just been delivered, including a 30×40 inch cradled wood panel, and I had an idea for something bigger… Y’all, I had almost forgotten how intense working on a bigger painting can get, how absolutely obsessed I occasionally become, and how I can’t stop until I’m done despite needing to sleep, eat, etc. I’m proud to present to you the product of my obsession:
Moon Day, 30×40 inches, acrylic on cradled wood panel, depicts a scene in which a woman is watching TV and Christina Koch is on the screen. Outside the woman’s window, the moon is full. A black cat is present in the room, a symbol of feminine energy and all things magical. The woman watching TV is eating an assortment of oddly paired things (a strawberry, a sardine, 3 olives, a small piece of cheese). Girl Dinner! Is she having her Moon Day? Probably. Which only underscores how this space mission serves as a reminder that we as humans can rise above the darkness threatening to pull us under.
Moon Day is available for sale and would look great in a little girl’s room. Or a big girl’s room. Or any human’s room. The painting costs $3,000 which includes shipping or installation.
The watercolor portrait of Christina is 9×12 inches watercolor on paper and costs $200 (shipping included).
Am I trying to monetize the space mission? That’s giving very eathling vibes, don’t you think?
