Hubble Deep Field

Since it’s launch in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope has produced some of the most spectacular images of our universe. In 1995, the spirit of discovery led the Hubble team to point the telescope at the darkest patch of sky they could find, not knowing if they would see anything at all. In that patch of sky, the size of a pinhead at arms length, the Hubble Deep Field observation revealed 3,000 galaxies stretched out to distances of up to 13 billion lightyears. Since looking deep into space is also looking deep into the history of the universe (when the light left it's source), the observation was our first nearly complete view of the entire history of the universe in one image. Hubble’s observations narrowed our knowledge of the age of our universe to a decimal point of accuracy (from a range of 10-20 billion years down to 13.7 billion) and brought us that much closer to understanding where we sit in this vast and beautiful space-time.

Oil, 18 x 24 inches

More about the Hubble Deep Field observation:

Take a look at the Hubble Deep Field Observation here or check out other Hubble images.

Cassini

In our pursuit to understand the solar system we find ourselves in, we sent an explorer to the Saturnian system. The Cassini Spacecraft sent back amazing new data and images of Saturn and it’s 62 known moons, 46 of which were unknown when it left. We learned that the moon, Enceladus, may have everything it needs to support life deep in it’s global ocean, Titan has a liquid methane sea, and so much more.

Last year, low on fuel after twenty years in space and so much information gained, Cassini took several dives between Saturn and it’s rings to learn a little more before it’s mission came to an end. To avoid possible microbial contamination of any of Saturn’s moons, Cassini dove and burned up in Saturn’s atmosphere, while sending back it’s final data.

Oil, 18 x 24 inches

This video explains more of Cassini’s accomplishments: 

And final dive:

Best of Show!

Bioluminescence IV picked up Best of Show in the August BoldBrush painting competition! A big thank you to BoldBrush and juror, Mark Lague. Check out the other winners here.

Bioluminescence IV, Oil, 18 x 24 inches

And here are a few peeks of a new painting coming soon! Stay tuned...

Studies

A few studies. I went a little crazy with the color on this first one at a live session, but I think it worked out. It's been added to the available works at robreyfineart.com.

Oil, 12 x 16 inches

I've been wanting to get reacquainted with graphite and charcoal recently so I played around with some graphite last week and this is what happened.

Graphite, 9 x 12 ish

Auction Ending!

There are less than 24 hours left in the auction for Blue Bower, or at Every Day Original! 

Due to a glitch, there has been some discrepancy in the ending time on the auction page for those not in the eastern time zone, but the countdown is correct and the auction ends at Noon EST, tomorrow 8/22/18.

Here are a few more views of the painting in progress:

And another video:

Blue Bower

The auction for this painting is live on Every Day Original!

Lucky are we to find ourselves nestled in such a comfortable nook of the cosmos. We have evolved, of course, to fit this planet like a glove. Yet for that evolution to take place, a multitude of serendipitous circumstances were necessary. It is possible we owe a debt to the vastness of our universe, which has created such statistical possibilities. From our planet's protective magnetosphere and temperature, balanced in the range of liquid water, to our Sun's stable size and Jupiter's gravitational deflection of hazardous debris, we are privileged to occupy so tufted a nest. It may be the only soft spot such fragile and short-lived biological creatures as we, will ever be capable of reaching – a precious thing, this beautiful blue bower.

Oil, 12 x16 inches

Here are a few videos of the painting process:

Upcoming Auction on EDO

I've been working on a new piece for Every Day Original's next auction, starting August 15th. Here are a few peaks:

Detail image

Sketching out the preliminary drawing

Gravitational Waves

A newly completed this commission for IX Arts, which will be on display at the IX show in October. The allegorical image of merging black holes is a poetic representation of recently observed waves of gravity.

Since our ancestors first looked up at the stars, everything we've observed of the universe has come in the form of light: electromagnetic waves. In the last century we've learned everything we know from looking at every part of the electromagnetic spectrum and analyzing that light. For the first time in 2015, humans observed energy arriving at earth of a different sort than electromagnetic light.

1.4 billion years ago, two black holes spiraled around each other and merged, releasing three solar masses of energy in the form of gravitational waves, literal stretching and squashing of space. If you had been nearby the waves could have squeezed you to spaghetti, but when they spread out and passed through earth in 2015 we detected those waves, dissipated to less than the width of an atomic nucleus. Our whole lives, these waves have periodically passed right through us, unnoticed, but now humanity has gained the eyes to see them.

Oil, 30 x 30 inches

More about Gravitational Waves

Deep Sleep

Nestled in our comfy spot amongst the stars. This small study for a larger painting will be available on Every Day Original tomorrow morning!

Oil Study, 6 x 8 inches

OPA Demo

I'm excited to be giving a painting demonstration at the Oil Painters of America National Convention in Steamboat Springs, CO, on June 3rd!

The OPA National Juried Exhibition is always a great show and I'm pleased to have "Magnificent Universe" selected to participate in this year's exhibition. Come see the show and watch me paint!

Magnificent Universe, Oil, 18 x 24 inches

Goldfish

New Bioluminescence for Abend Gallery's 10x10 show opening this Saturday. 

Oil, 10 x 10 inches

Hubble Study

My next small study goes up on Every Day Original tomorrow morning!

Since it's launch in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope has produced some of our most spectacular images of the universe. Hubble's observations narrowed our knowledge of the age of the universe to a decimal point of accuracy (13.7 billion years instead of 10-20 billion). In 1995, the spirit of discovery led the Hubble team to point the telescope at the darkest patch of sky they could find to see if there was anything there. In a patch of sky the size of a pinhead at arms length, the Hubble Deep Field observation revealed 3,000 galaxies stretched out to distances of up to 13 billion lightyears. It was our first nearly complete view of the entire history of the universe in one image. Check out this video about it.

The HST is nearing the end of it's life. While there are many space telescopes that preform many functions, Hubble's successor, the James Webb Space Telescope is set to launch just next year!

Oil Study, 6 x 8 inches

Nestled in Nebulae

Made of starstuff, we are in this universe, and the universe is in us. May this unity help you to feel comfort in your surroundings.

A small study available tomorrow on Every Day Original.

Oil 6x8 inches

Human Light

Reason, Compassion, and Hope are the ideals celebrated by the Humanist winter solstice holiday of Human Light on December 23rd, and the titles of these three small paintings. Happy Holidays!

These paintings will appear in Abend Gallery's Annual Miniatures Exhibition opening Saturday night. 

Bioluminescence - Compassion
Oil, 8 x 10 inches

Bioluminescence - Hope
Oil, 8 x 10 inches

Bioluminescence - Reason
Oil, 8 x 10 inches

Hidden in the Light

Spectroscopy is a method of measuring light split into it's spectrum, as by a prism. The atoms of every element emit and absorb specific wavelengths of light which appear as a specific pattern of bands or gaps in it's light spectrum. As we attempt to learn about our vast universe while confined to our tiny vantage point of earth, spectroscopy is how we know what distant planets, stars, and galaxies are made of, their mass, temperature, and more, without needing to travel to them. It's even how we know that our universe is expanding. Very distant galaxies don't just happen to emit more red light, the pattern of their emissions spectrum is red shifted and thus racing away from us in all directions. There is a beautiful wealth of knowledge hidden in the light!

Oil Study, 6 x 8 inches

This study will be up on Every Day Original tomorrow!

More on spectroscopy: https://youtu.be/jjy-eqWM38g?t=5m32s