Paintings of the Apollo Space Missions
Apollo 17 and Apollo 15 Moonlanding paintings. Space Art.
Painting the Apollo Astronauts.
I love to paint pictures of the astronauts on the moon. It is a real passion of mine. If my wildlife art is my job, then painting Apollo astronauts could be described as my hobby. I'm kept so busy with the wildlife side of things that I don't get much time for it, but every now and then my mind wanders back to those glory days of when men walked on the moon and I have to paint something.
I was nine years old when Neil Armstrong took those first steps for mankind. My father told me to look up at the moon. 'Right now' he said, 'There are two men walking about up there' It was one of those moments in life that stay with you forever. I was hooked. I wanted to walk on the moon too. I still do. ' I'm not sure if you will', my Dad told me that night, 'but your son might' The way things are going he was probably about right, but it doesn't stop me dreaming. My fascination for exploration was ignited that day and still burns fiercely. When Mankind finally returns to the moon and beyond, there will be nobody more excited than me.
Meeting the last man to touch our moon.
In 2014 I had the great honour of meeting The commander of Apollo 17, Captain Eugene Cernan, veteran of Gemini 9, Apollos 10 and 17. He is the last man to walk on the moon. A man that lived on the moon for three days and is one of only three human beings ever to voyage to the moon on two separate occasions.
I can't possibly tell you how much it meant for me to meet the great man himself, the actual subject of my painting. He has been an inspirational hero to me ever since I was a child.
'That's impossible!' he joked to me as he admired my painting. 'Nobody else was there to see us both together like that'. That's where art comes in, to tell the tale that photographs can't I said. We laughed and shook hands. He was a true gentleman to me.
When Captain Cernan saw my Apollo 15 painting,
he sent me the following words for which I am eternally grateful:
”Eric, Your painting is exquisite. It captures the essence of exactly like it was – the shadows, the wrinkles in the suit, the flag, the mountains, the footprints –all take me back to a place I used to call home”.
Captain Eugene Cernan Commander Apollo 17.
Space Paintings Gallery
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MAN MUST EXPLORE
Commander Dave Scott, Apollo 15, salutes the flag at the end of EVA 2 on 1st August 1971.
Oil on canvas, 48 x 36 inches.
Silver Spur and Mount Hadley Delta can be seen in the distance. Oil painting on canvas, 48 x 36 inches. The original photograph, from which I based this painting, was taken in black and white by Jim Irwin. It was a much larger scene which included the lunar Module. I concentrated upon the figure of Dave Scott for my painting, adding the colour and missing detail from the grainy black and white image, making this image unique in that it is exactly as it was on the moon, and yet improving upon the original image to give us a better appreciation of that magnificent moment.
Available:
•Original Painting.
•Paper and canvas fine art prints.