When you think of a galaxy, and of space, you imagine these gorgeous colors; you'll see blues, purples, dark shades of each, and glowing bright lights among them. I could sit and stare at it forever, imagining all of the stories up in the skies, and get lost in the vastly beautiful array of stars. I'm not the only one that can do this, and certainly not someone who can paint such a mesmerizing image of it. Let's take a look at some of my favorite pieces of art depicting the skies, the night, and the world above us.
You might've heard of this painting, it's quite famous. Starry Night by Van Gogh. Take a moment and look at it with me.
Take notice of the different hues of blue, gracefully dancing together, creating a flow in the sky that I could only dream of creating. You see the bright yellow stars of all shapes and sizes, covering the night sky. This painting is one of the most famous paintings, and much of the time, people wonder if he really did paint galaxies or if it was just a night sky in front of him. Experts in Astronomy claim that bright swirls are actually seen in space, and are known as distant cosmic swirls, so maybe, he created a painting that showed a world we didn't even know yet. How cool is that? I could get lost in this painting forever, but there's more art to discuss.
The next painting is called Galaxy and it's by Jackson Pollock. When you look at this painting, you might not necessarily see a galaxy in the same way we envision it. There aren't as many blues, purples, or even pinks. There's something a bit different. It's a vastly infinite layer of paint. His art consists of drips, splatters and covering all of the under layers with his brushes. The colors and layers are what makes his painting so interesting. You see a different layer and a different color each time you look at it. Take a look for a moment. How many colors do you see?
Now close your eyes for a moment and look again. How many colors do you see now? Each time you stare at a Jackson Pollock painting, it's like it changes each time. But this one is special. This one contains more texture than the others. Not only does it have the texture of layers upon layers of dried paint, but it has gravel painted into it, to give it a somewhat grainy look and texture. Perhaps this is meant to signify the galaxies up in the sky, full of moon and meteor dust. Who knows? All we know is that this piece can be mesmerizing, full of color, and definitely an inspiration to any artist. But how does this pertain to galaxies? Well, we don't know everything that's out there, and while astronomers have given us lots of inspiration, stars constantly explode, creating colors we've never dreamed of seeing before. Planets give off light, and quite honestly, a galaxy is up to the imagination. You may see something different than the person next to you. That's the beauty of art.
These are only two paintings of galaxies, and only a small amount of what's out there. I encourage you to explore art, to look at what can be created and perhaps try something yourself. You never know what you can create and what will inspire you. Let the galaxy be your guide. Imagine worlds beyond what you see. You might paint something that could change your life. It's all up to you. Stay a while, look at the art, get lost, and let your mind wander.
Stay artsy, friends!
- Aria
Sources: https://www.jackson-pollock.org/galaxy.jsp#prettyPhoto
https://www.vangoghgallery.com/painting/starry-night.html