To the Moon and Back

 In real life a full moon can look like this:

 And the moon can look different as it changes:

In art the moon can look a lot of different ways. Part of art is "interpretation", which means people can see things many different ways. No one way is right or wrong. It's just different. And you may find you like some "interpretations" more than others. And that is just fine. 

The moon is hiding behind the clouds, but also looks kind of like the glow of the streetlamp. 

 

New York With Moon - Georgia O'Keeffe

In this painting the moon helps frame the flowers.

Autumn Flowers in Front of Full Moon - Hiroshige

The moon is high up in the sky, and the bunnies are looking up to see it.

Rabbits Under Moon - Hiroshige

These paintings are interpretations of the moon. They don't look like the real life moon, but they have a round circle which the artist uses as the moon. This is called abstract, which means something doesn't have to look like it does in real life. But if you look at it, you may get a feeling of what it is even if it doesn't look like the real life thing.

Green Sea Moon - John Hoyland (2006)

Blue Moon - John Hoyland (2006)

 

 Vincent's Moon - John Hoyland (2007)

Moon's Milk - John Hoyland (2009)

These paintings are abstract as well. Can you see where the artist put the moon?

 

 Fire Full Moon - Paul Klee (1933)

 

Full Moon - Paul Klee (1919)

Even though we can't see the faces of the boy and girl, you know they are looking at the moon. 

Do you think they're smiling? Do you think they're talking? What would they talk about?

Boy and Girl Gazing at the Moon - Norman Rockwell (1926)

These paintings have big full moons in the sky above nature scenes. 

They are dark colors which can make people think of night time.

Grasshopper and Fool Moon - Ohara Koson (1910)

 

Cherry on a Moonlit Night - Ohara Koson (1932)

These paintings are dark as well and there are a lot of shadows. The moon is very bright. It might almost look like the sun if the rest of the painting wasn't dark to make you think of night time.

Moonlight Study at Millbank - William Turner (1797)

Fishermen at Sea - William Turner (1796)