On a full moon walk beneath longleaf pines on November 14, illuminated fog simultaneously revealed and obscured the receding tree forms. Everything sparkled. It was magical scenery imbued with both legibility and mystery. Along with Nocturn 2, I painted this scene solely from memory a few days later in the studio. The gessoed hardboard panel was tinted with a wash of burnt sienna to convey the warm colors that were on the edge of color perception in the moon’s cold light. The 9×5 size was chosen so this piece could be included in an exhibit inspired by the tradition of cigar box lid paintings.
