Moonrise 2020

Daria Theodora, sometime in the 20th century, created "Moonrise," an ethereal illustration with delicate linework and soft washes. It feels like stepping into a dream, doesn't it? I imagine Daria hunched over this piece, letting her mind wander into a world of magical realism and folklore. The textures are so intricate; you can almost feel the fox’s fur beneath your fingertips and see the little foxes paddling in a canoe. This feels like a sibling to some of the surrealist painters like Remedios Varo, but with a very contemporary, anime-inflected style. Look at the way she uses color – the rich purples of the clouds against the stark white of the moon. It’s a conversation between reality and fantasy, an invitation to question what’s real and what’s imagined. This piece reminds me that painting is not just about representation, but about creating a space for contemplation, somewhere for the viewer to bring their own stories and emotions.