18x24 in watercolor

This is the first in what will hopefully be a new series on the theme of darkness.

A major inspiration for this painting was the book "Night Magic" by Leigh Ann Henion, which I read over a year ago. Listening to Henion's interview on "The Wild" podcast with Chris Morgan is how I learned about the synchronous fireflies at Smoky Mountain National Park. I marked my calendar months in advance and was fortunate to win the firefly lottery to see them in person this past May. They were bright and abundant. And also there were a lot of people with flashlights and headlamps shuffling around. I felt some tension around that. I learned that there are actually synchronous fireflies at other locations around the world. And I have fireflies in my own backyard in the summer. What can I learn about them? How can I appreciate and protect the night right here and right now? Especially as I post now in this cold season of darkness.

Other inspirations for the painting included items I found out on my hikes here in Alabama: mottled tree bark, mushrooms, blue mist flower, and a snail shell. The practice of noticing small things in nature was strengthened by the book "Tiny Worlds" by Rosalie Haizlett. I took a watercolor workshop from her in 2019, which helped me gain the confidence to engage more with watercolors.

As the stars twinkle in the sky, the magic also abounds underground. Mycelium networks connect trees, worms compost the dirt, and the web of life unfurls.

As magical as the night is, we are losing it rapidly. Over 80% of the world's population lives under light polluted skies. Learn more about how you can protect the night from DarkSky International.

What other ways might we embrace darkness?