Craig Mooney has a variety of motifs he is known for. We love his skies, sails and coastlines. Normally, each motif is focused on separately. There was a special inspiration, however, that nudged him into bringing three of his favorites into one piece.

“In my mind, the cornerstone of this show is the piece I originally called Ode to William. It is an ode to William Trost Richards, the 19th century maritime painter,” says Mooney about the piece now named Celestial. “Trost had a distinctive style and was specially known for waves crashing on beaches.”

Richards' work is much more realistic and detailed than Mooney's, but the inspiration is obvious for those familiar with Richards' work. When speaking about a particular painting of Richards', Mooney said, “It was so interesting. His piece looked like three different paintings I had done in the past, but they were combined into one canvas." It was a combination of a sailboat, a large cloud with light hitting, and a rocky shore. “Richards' captured light beautifully. It is the first piece I thought of doing for the show.”

Ode to William was soon renamed Celestial, but the inspiration stayed with Mooney throughout his work for his summer show at Maine Art.

“Celestial is a little more tightly controlled and more detailed than my normal work. It began an ever-changing journey into subject matter for this show,” says Mooney. “The next few pieces were more expressive and abstract, but Richard’s work stayed with me throughout.”

To see our entire collection for Craig Mooney’s Solo Show visit Maine Art Shows on Chase Hill Road in Kennebunk. We are open seven days a week from 11 AM to 5 PM. FMI call 207-967-0049 or www.maine-art.com

Read more about Craig Mooney here - Craig Mooney - Artist Insights

See all Mooney’s work at Maine Art here - Craig Mooney - Artist Page

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