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Strawberry Moon
60 x 24

SOLD

The full moon. As long as humans and animals have been on earth it has been a source of emotion, myth, guidance and behaviour. For native Americans each full moon had a special name in accordance with significant activities or events happening during that particular month. In June, for instance, the full moon was known as the strawberry moon, named by the Algonquin tribes who used this moon phase to gather ripening fruit. Such tasks, and also travel, were easier under the light of a full moon.

 Moon phases and gravitational pull have had effects on not only people, but the behaviour and physiology of wildlife also. A "circalunar" clock is thought to keep time inside of many species, working alongside circadian rhythms. The behaviours that moon cycles can affect are diverse, ranging from timing of reproduction and migration, to direct response to light levels. For instance, some species are known to only reproduce during the light of a full moon while others reduce activity during this time to avoid detection by predators. 

In this particular piece, I wanted to represent the full moon in high detail, as seen via modern day technology, while maintaining a loose, interpretive reflection on the surface of the water. This dual contrast represents science and spiritual native characteristics coming together to embody one of the most mysterious, and influential planets in our universe. This is the largest scratchboard I have completed to date.