Night Painting by Moonlight

"Moonlight on Church Street"
Charcoal and pastel

Dimensions: 18" x 12"
Price: $250.00

It was challenging to paint with the Charleston Outdoor Painters Asso. (COPA) tonight (May 1, 2007) on Church St. in the dark. I decided to create a tonal painting using a limited range of charcoal and pastel.

The moon rose about 10 PM making this interesting composition at the corner of Church and Chalmers St. I think the finished painting gives a sense of the quiet and calm of this busy street corner late at night. I call it "Midnight" since that's when I finished painting.

Other COPA night owls are Lisa Willits ,Caryn Smith, and Margie Connell. All the painters agreed that night painting requires good lighting of both subject and canvas. Night painting is a unique challenge but not without it's rewards.

Lisa and Caryn painted in the street using the hood of Caryn's white jaguar car for supplies. I was amazed she didn't end up with paint on her beautiful white car in the dark, but she's a pro and didn't miss a stroke off her canvas. Lisa was so well organized she was able to fit all her painting gear on the back of her bike which she rode from her home in Ansonbourgh.