Finally finished my space series! 32 new paintings from Hubble images!
Hello, Steemers! I’m so excited to finally share my most recent space series with you. I warned you all that I fall off the face of the planet from time to time. Actually, I was off all social media and in hiding to the point that both my parents contacted me to ask if I was still alive. Because focus. It’s taken some time to get back on the horse, but the work I've finished and the conclusions I’ve come to in that time have been significant. I’ll update you guys in regards to my next steps in a future post soon!
![Obelisk Home_Perspectives_Christie Snelson.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmYbCghJaGEEmbtqw2XTfwBdbEAtkMcE6wF31y2CMHNMca/Obelisk%20Home_Perspectives_Christie%20Snelson.jpg)
My “Perspectives” series deals with different ways of seeing things. We all see the world from a different point of view. It starts with several paintings from the amazing images from the Hubble telescope (thanks, NASA!), and then I begin to slice up and manipulate them.
First it’s merely stripes, then to triangles, pyramids, tetrahedrons, octahedrons, and even a stellated tetrahedron (also known as a merkaba). I take an element from the previous painting and explore it in a different way in the next, and sometimes each of those sprout their own twist. The last painting could not exist without every painting between. Preceding the title is a number which represents its order in the series followed by the name of the subject of my Hubble reference.
![2_Pismis 24_18x24_Christie Snelson_Steemit.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmcuxytumvX262QkzqoAQD2k4ruQ53bLq4YLgFZu5GDUAr/2_Pismis%2024_18x24_Christie%20Snelson_Steemit.jpg)
As I begin to manipulate, I attempt to add some kind of illusory effect because things aren’t as they seem. As always, I love using color theory in a tight impressionistic style to create an illusion of light. I also really enjoyed simply playing with a sense of depth, and there are a number of pieces in the series that can be looked at in multiple ways. For example, in one of my pyramid paintings (see 22) the shape looks flat or merely lines in one instance, but with another glance it has a three-dimensional appearance. So many times I’ve been humbled in life because I am certain something is one way just to be proven that my senses and logic are not always right, or at least not quite what I thought. If we are aware of our limited senses and understanding, it makes it easier to see things from multiple perspectives and be open to them.
I chose the cosmos as my reference because it brings the human race together. We are in this with each other on our pale blue dot, and we have so much more in common than we do different because of it. I think it's more important than ever to be open and understanding toward one another as we start to crowd this planet.
With that, I’m going to share a number of pieces that I think best represent my concept. I ended up with 32 new works for the exhibit total (31 included in the final series). It took 1.5 years in conception, and five months to create. I'm picky with my ideas for larger collections, and I paint well under pressure :) I hope you enjoy them!
![4_Leo Triplet_24x18_Christie Snelson_Steemit.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmVcZdd77T1j6jnWURxP24cNn3noaPu9CdX6jH7DZugyST/4_Leo%20Triplet_24x18_Christie%20Snelson_Steemit.jpg)
![5_Carina Nebula_Christie Snelson_2_Steemit.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmPNPvbbQwHKrabiYpASW7bdjqddgYVnZoANaC6pWMyY4g/5_Carina%20Nebula_Christie%20Snelson_2_Steemit.jpg)
![7_Westerlund 2_Christie Snelson_Steemit.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmaqdByh4UJyCx7EqfTEDZbkMCVYWsKcM6nJP4NhC33KEX/7_Westerlund%202_Christie%20Snelson_Steemit.jpg)
![9_Star Forming Region in the LMC_10x10_Christie Snelson_Steemit.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmbvXTTUPzNRULzVzqqmhe3xWsG9NL3bNfG3uopNnXcuMx/9_Star%20Forming%20Region%20in%20the%20LMC_10x10_Christie%20Snelson_Steemit.jpg)
acrylic on canvas
![10_Orion Nebula_16x16_Christie Snelson_Steemit.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmRvH84fFUi2L7qZHuBfmRg3W9CCs5266LXHGy2XLMe3DW/10_Orion%20Nebula_16x16_Christie%20Snelson_Steemit.jpg)
![13_Star Forming Region NGC 3603_10x10_Christie Snelson_Steemit.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmTaJXGbfh6D4REDHxS7UTpRMykK1P5yrDx5c27aW9Nenz/13_Star%20Forming%20Region%20NGC%203603_10x10_Christie%20Snelson_Steemit.jpg)
oil on canvas
![15_Star Forming Region in the LMC_12x12_Christie Snelson_Steemit.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmRvVi7r81ctTfxL5em1gYw8vEVFrSTVJdsFwrGg8W5neF/15_Star%20Forming%20Region%20in%20the%20LMC_12x12_Christie%20Snelson_Steemit.jpg)
![19_Wing of SMC NGC 602 _12x12_Christie Snelson_Steemit.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmZczSfVmgh8C617B5XzMREDDW1gMLbq3GK6B4Dsniviob/19_Wing%20of%20SMC%20NGC%20602%20_12x12_Christie%20Snelson_Steemit.jpg)
![21_Carina Nebula_36x48_Christie Snelson_Steemit.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmeGpNftmg47o2xLaePWAbQZSktzYEGCE1mUrF6aSM47e9/21_Carina%20Nebula_36x48_Christie%20Snelson_Steemit.jpg)
![22_Star Forming Region in the LMC_20x20_Christie Snelson_Steemit.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmXBaGf6D1T7xwaFskZszaM4tb2pyKBoUEMVRpqhZdEwmf/22_Star%20Forming%20Region%20in%20the%20LMC_20x20_Christie%20Snelson_Steemit.jpg)
acrylic + oil on canvas
![25_Westerlund 2_24x30_Christie Snelson_Steemit.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmTFg4sQUhG3c3i41ddYv1BCm8S3iybCNUN9BTvvBYgUSP/25_Westerlund%202_24x30_Christie%20Snelson_Steemit.jpg)
![26_Carina Nebula_30x30_Christie Snelson_Steemit.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmey9VRD8zqUt1PePRJ4UHn9qWDiULwmS8cxZbYRMgEQUX/26_Carina%20Nebula_30x30_Christie%20Snelson_Steemit.jpg)
![27_Tarantula Galaxy_24x30_Christie Snelson_Steemit.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmbx7y1Wsd2694va4x9M13nTMjyGZh77WHzvm29bfNd1x3/27_Tarantula%20Galaxy_24x30_Christie%20Snelson_Steemit.jpg)
![28_Orion Nebula_36x36_Christie Snelson_Steemit.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmbnbnzQfTWBdyU1U4LGVpMe8KX2sp5YoMFxrfx1uCPhiz/28_Orion%20Nebula_36x36_Christie%20Snelson_Steemit.jpg)
![29_Orion Nebula_30x30Christie Snelson_Steemit.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmX9zqBLZyZfcm3CFqVBxLYd3R5AztxqynLhHqeqx356kt/29_Orion%20Nebula_30x30Christie%20Snelson_Steemit.jpg)
![30_Westerlund 2_36x36_Christie Snelson_Steemit.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmXchTW7iwEAnvzqnaNATT4pXnhhGBFenGm2Pv2rbhGmWo/30_Westerlund%202_36x36_Christie%20Snelson_Steemit.jpg)
![31_Orion Nebula_36x36_Christie Snelson_Steemit.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmRDxhPba9FxGT9LUSpj36gdZAadXMgFaYYTn6uPVRoKRK/31_Orion%20Nebula_36x36_Christie%20Snelson_Steemit.jpg)
The staff at Obelisk did an amazing job hanging my work, and I couldn't have asked for a better opening.
I always like to ask my viewers which is their favorite piece and why so that I may continue to aim to make work that strikes a chord with my audience, so I'd love to know which one stood out to you and any other feedback you may have. I'm already in brainstorming mode for the next series!
If you'd like to see the paintings that I skipped over, you can find the whole series on my website in order at christiesnelson.com
![christie snelson sized copy.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmPdJKvUPYgz77SDJCVLz43cUjYpvVuZHTGLB6c3QYpCFh/christie%20snelson%20sized%20copy.jpg)
These are amazing, great work!
Thank you! I appreciate it!
Very nice series, beautiful work.
Thank you! I appreciate that!
These look all amazing. I'm flabbergasted that you actually have painted these and they're not just pictures.
Thanks!! That's such a kind compliment. I need to share some photos of them up close. They're packed with crazy colors but look more photorealistic from a distance and in photos. I love playing with optical mixing.
I tried to pick a favorite but I just can't. Closer you can start to see the texture of canvas itself which can take away from the experience, it feels like. Thanks to @artwatch for resteeming your work, she always brings cool artists to my feed that I would otherwise miss.
Pismis is one that stands out to me. What a fantastic show. Always loved art with a little space in it.
Thanks so much! That's one of my favorites too. The original image just looked so unreal to me that I had to add it to my series. It was a dream to paint!
That makes all the difference.
It really does!! It's crazy.
Mind opening, your lines add a 3D dimension to space.
Thank you! I'm glad you like them!
My fav is Carina Nebula but I enjoyed the whole series. Thanks
Thank you! Which number Carina Nebula did you like? I used that image multiple times in different ways I liked it so much.
26: Carina Nebula, 30"x30", acrylic + oil on canvas
Awesome! One of my top faves. It was the most popular at the opening reception!
Honestly they are all stunning. Such detail! I find it hard to be so detailed, I think I need more practice and less perfectionism with my painting. Your level of beautiful space paintings and geometry is what I aspire too! I love them all <3
Thank you!! My detail drives me crazy I'm such a perfectionist. Not only was I working up until the very last minute, but now that I have them back from the gallery I'm still adding more details to some. I may go mad. I've actually been practicing getting a bit looser on some newer works so maybe I won't ;)
haha I feel ya there, when is a painting ever done anyways? basically never. I force myself to give up lol, eventually I lose interest in the last details. Honestly, I just really suck at finishing things I think.
No kidding. That's my problem. There's a quote attributed to Da Vinci (I'm skeptical about that) but it rings true and always pops up in my head when I'm really being crazy: "Art is never finished, only abandoned." The trouble is, when should you abandon? Haha
good question, I like that quote. There is no clear answer. What is obvious is that your paintings rock even if they are never finished!
I need a bigger living room because I want all of them. :)
Haha I'm glad you like them! I've sold a few of them so far, but have some on my website for sale if you are interested!