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“The Light Within” by Sheila Finch

Sheila Finch, an award winning artist, has had her work exhibited through the USA and Europe.  This is one of her latest pieces “The Light Within”. The description on her website states “As the sun slowly falls to the horizon in the afternoon, I’m offered a visual gift of light and color from layers upon layers of clouds out over the Pacific Ocean”.

You can see more of her work on her website, Sheila Finch Fine Art

Prelude in C – welcomes you to Namibia

Dan Barstow, Member 41,557 and  Education Mission Specialist at the Association of Space Explorers introduced us to the ‘Earth Movie Theatre’.  From Earth orbit, listen to Bach’s flowing Prelude in C, as you watch Earth below – clouds over the Atlantic and the land of Namibia. Stunning! Harpsichord by world-class Bob van Asperen. Earth photography by astronauts of ISS 63

From J Pogalies

J Pogalies from Madison, Ohio recently sent this example of her art and told us “I live on the shores of Lake Erie, a Great Lake! I photograph clouds and more almost daily. They are not altered except I then flip them or stack them to form new images and have them printed on large metal panels 1’x5’ up to 4’x5’“. 

You can see more of her cloud art on her website

A full moon over Bigfork, Montana, US.

“Clouds” by Nick Houvras

Nick Houvras, member 7,347 is a longstanding member of the Cloud Appreciation Society and sent us one of his cloud related poems. We’ve paired it with a photograph from our Photo Gallery of a full moon over Bigfork, Montana by Ruth Quist.

Clouds

The clouds are the roof over our head curiously they break apart and you see the blue sky And sun above.
At night there my appear a star winking at you.
Or a big white round full moon that comes partly through.
The oceans adrift in the sky above but no sail boats there flying high.
Just occasionally white streaks planes leave behind like trails one can walk on.
You maybe, so for now just say hi, high to the clouds in the sky!

© Nick Houvras 2022

Shadows in the Sky

Jurene Phaneuf, Member 45,173 , sent us the link to Mike Olbinski’s video “Shadows in the Sky”.  The images are mesmerising and the accompanying music very atmospheric.

“Before the Storm” by Larissa Gray

Larissa Gray is an award winning artist based in Kyneton, a town in the Macedon Ranges region of West Central Victoria, Australia.  Although she specialises in small scale bronze and mixed media sculptures, she also likes to draw clouds.  This one is called ‘Before the Storm’.

You can see more about Larissa and her work on her website

A Circumzenithal Arc over Broadway, NYC, US.

To Have the Honor of a Cloud

Holly Payne-Strange, Member 52,979, from New Jersey was enjoying the clouds at Thanksgiving when she dreamt up this poem.  We’ve paired it with an image of a Circumzenithal Arc over Broadway, NYC, US by Judy Schramm

To Have the Honor of a Cloud

Ice crystals in the sky,
Reflecting sunlight, conjuring shadow
An ever moving gallery of whimsy.

It sounds like magic.

Surely it should be, by all rights
This beauty we ignore, day by day.
I think it’s because they’re so far away,
Glory and valor we assume is out of reach.

There’s a certain proud nobility about them,
Stately and serene.
It all seems so easy, slow, even boring.
An illusion fostered by distance and assumption.

I can’t help but think
That if only we looked,
Really looked, and noticed, and appreciated,
Then maybe grace could be an everyday occurrence.
Maybe we would notice.

Lofty ideals, unencumbered and honest,
Could curl above us
Natural as the wind.
Maybe generosity would need no excuse
And sincerity would be easily accepted,
Suspicion and shame falling like shadow,
To some distant terrain we can’t imagine.

I have to say,
When I think of you,
I only see the clouds.

© Holly Payne-Strange

Astronaut video of Sunset Serenity – with Steve Thomas Guitar [ Earth Movie Theater ]

Sunset Serenity captures the rich colors and serene drama of a sunset, seen from the ISS.  ISS orbits Earth in 92 minutes – that means 16 sunrises and sunsets every day!  Steve Thomas plays guitar and does sonic magic to help us experience Sunset Serenity. 

Dan Barstow, Member 41,557 and Education Mission Specialist at the Association of Space Explorers introduced us to the ‘Earth Movie Theatre’.  Working with world-class musicians they combine music with ISS moves of Earth.

By Anna Watts

Gerard Watts, Member 62,339, sent us this painting by his Anna Watts.  He told us

“Anna is an artist from Greystanes NSW Australia. She specialises in abstract art drawing and painting. Much of her art is inspired from nature and her surroundings. Anna’s other interests are music composition and puppetry”

From Sophie Keir

Artist, Sophie Keir, sent this detail of an Oil on Canvas painting of stormy, dramatic clouds inspired by the often in the background skies of Old Master paintings. These skies are sometimes more interesting than the main focus!

You can see more of her paintings, prints and cards on her website.

Special production for new “Bach Forest” in Germany – One Earth

Dan Barstow, Member 41,557 and Education Mission Specialist at the Association of Space Explorers introduced us to the ‘Earth Movie Theatre’.  Working with world-class musicians they combine music with ISS moves of Earth. This production was in celebration of the new Bach Forest and the satellite image covers Ireland to Saudi Arabia at night.

The Bach Forest is situated in Leipzig and over the next few years a forest of approximately 29 hectares will be planted on the western side of Lake Störmthal. You can see more about it on the Bach Fest website

From Pauline Bailly

Pauline Bailly is a painter from Normandy, France who likes to paint Lady-Clouds, called “Les Femmes-Nuages” in French. She describes her work below:

My Cloudy Women are the link between reality and dreams. It is an ambiguity between two worlds, with a strong emphasis on introspection in a style sprinkled with surrealism, where onirism takes over and supplants all rationality.

The cloud is like a connection between the character’s states of mind and the world around us. Like an extension of the emotions, these cumulus clouds, for the most part, are a window onto thought. They are like dream vapors, melancholy clouds, like a veil of poetry rooted in the midst of landscapes, terrestrial or celestial settings.

These women are like guardians of their own universe, but also of those of others. The spectators can project their own stories and dreams into my paintings. A bridge is created, in a spirit of sharing hope and softness.

To find or buy my artworks, you can visit my website www.paulinebaillyart.com
Buy on Artmajeur https://www.artmajeur.com/pauline-bailly-1
Or contact me directly at pauline-bailly@outlook.fr
Social media @Les_Femmes_Nuages on instagram / Pauline Bailly – Peintures on Facebook

Annular eclipse ‘23 at Mexican Hat, Utah

George Preoteasa, Member 41,445, sent in his timelapse video of the recent annular eclipse.  He told us, “I was in Mexican Hat, Utah, which was on the centerline. It’s hard to capture the feeling in a movie or pictures, given that you have to use a solar filter most of the time, so you have to make a composite. But I tried”.

Steve Thomas guitar floats with us over the coast of Peru and Chile

From the Earth Movie Theatre, this is a composition by Steve Thomas whose guitar floats with us over the coast of Peru and Chile. Dan Barstow, Member 41,557 and Education Mission Specialist at the Association of Space Explorers introduced us to the ‘Earth Movie Theatre’ and we are thoroughly enjoying the music of world-class musicians combined with ISS movies of Earth.

Clouds over Weimar, 24 August 1881

Gerdienke Ubels, Member 21,012 sent us this short Q&A about the clouds over Weimar, 24th August 1881.

Q: What was the weather like in Weimar, 24 August 1881?

A: There were grey clouds coming in. 

Q: How do we know that? 

A: Franz Lizst put them into music and noted the date: ‘Nuages Gris’, Weimar 24 August 1881 (listen to how they roll in)

Foel Cwm Cerwyn

This is a recent painting by Kate Edge, Member 30,633, of Foel Cwm Cerwyn in the Preseli Hills, a range of hills in North Pembrokeshire, West Wales.  She told us that on the day it was painted the Cirrus clouds were wonderful.

From Penny Hauffe

This scene was captured in Beenbrck, Namibia and was painted by artist, Penny Hauffe.  Penny was born in Windhoek, Namibia and now lives in Virginia, USA.

You can see more of Penny’s work on her website

From Kate Edge

Kate Edge, Member 30,633, wrote this piece whilst busily working on new cloud paintings for an exhibition.  We’ve accompanied her text with one of her previous paintings, “Foel Drygarn”

We bring peace to you now and forever more.

We are the motion of love resplendent.

Our journey is to cover earth with

love’s nourishment -to feed mankind

all the seeds sown by the Creator.

We pass all manner of changes below

but we are the circles of divine motion

breathing over the turbulence on earth.

Cloud awakening means to know the

invisible that we carry and to carry it to

the heart of others .

We are a living prayer.

We evoke the remembrance of the eternal beauty in all.

© Kate Edge 2022

Solitude by Schar Freeman

Schar Freeman, Member 54,318 resides on the island of Kaua’i in the Hawaiian Islands. She told us “I love my walks on the beach. I am a painter and love clouds.  This one is my favourite beach walks on an overcast day with clouds that brought no rain..even with the Frog Face that lingers in this formation”. 

from Penny Hauffe

Phil Erickson sent in a recent painting by his wife, artist Penny Hauffe.  It depicts a dramatic formation on the Outer Banks of North Carolina (USA) at Nags Head.

You can see more of Penny’s work on her website

A sunrise over Sumirago, Varese,, Italy.

Nuvole “Clouds”

Romano Zeraschi sent us this recent cloud inspired poem.  We’ve paired it with a sunrise over Sumirago, Varese, Italy by Paolo Bardelli.

Nuvole:
anime che svolano
addensano
e svaporano
cartografie di sogni
illusioni.
Stampigliano promesse
scambiano timidi baci
e umide di timidi amori
vezzose e libere
scorrono e sbrigliano
nel superno abisso
senza paura.
Dipingono
cose che vorremmo
e non sappiamo
o ci fanno paura
minacciose
quando avanzano orridamente scure
per poi pentirsi
e piangere
e allora è una promessa
un pegno assoluto
uno squarcio che viene dal blu
dentro la fossa
del nostro esistere
giù nei meandri delle nostre attese.
Eccole che finalmente di nuovo scorrono
e sfarfallano rappacificate
eccole che indugiano pigre
decorando i plurimi cieli con nobili medaglie
di smalti ialini
e poi madrepore, ventagli di gorgonie e coralli.
Fantastiche creature:
talvolta assumono il tratto di un topolino
e allora paiono squittire
a volte son volpi, farfalle, uccelli
e allora si attende un guaito
il cinguettio garrulo di un fringuello, d’un cardellino civettuolo.
Più spesso scorrono liberamente festose come alunne d’un primo giorno di scuola
o s’indovinano in ricreazione
immerse in un fervore di beatitudini
dimentiche d’ogni campanella.
Osserviamole ora per ora
seguiamone le tracce nell’inseguimento infinito
mutevole ed eterno:
vederle in adunata
stringersi in circolo come sorelle
ci paiono intonare di lassù un coro
per poi obbedire ad un cenno imperscrutabile
e allontanarsi per punti cardinali diversi
a oltrepassare l’orizzonte o morire prima
magari a ovest, sciogliendosi nel tramonto.
E al mattino
rivestite di bianco
quando germogliano appena al primo orizzonte visibile
sbocciarsi poi in eteree
quasi fragranti e revolute forme
che si allontanano
divergono e poi s’adunano
accavallandosi in canyon e radure
e precipizi
e burroni
o talora vicendevolmente sgranarsi a festoni
in bianche molliche d’immaginarie catene
colline e pianure
e dissomiglianti montagne
disegnando .
Accade anche che una nube si compiaccia in splendido isolamento:
resti alta allo zenit
o sfiori gli orizzonti per una ronda circolare
d’una missione compunta e segreta.
Albe e tramonti susseguono
ed è allora che si ammantano di violetto
o in più tenui ametiste
tramutando in arancio o porporino.
Veleggiano in grumi vacui
in eburnei fiocchi galleggiano
pullulando talvolta in purpurei amorini
E non raramente si espandono
circonflesse o lenticolari
o si aggregano, rabbuiandosi in cumuli e nembi.
Man mano, il Grande Atlante si sfoglia:
isole e atolli e lagune compaiono
i reef d’una barriera corallina
istmi e favolosi fondali
e penisole e continenti
un tettonico scivolar di placche
milioni di anni in poche ore
minuti del nostro esistere.
Lassù c’è vita
condensa e compatta strati e substrati
ere geologiche in ore o minuti
e poi pianeti, costellazioni
lo sciame luminoso dei cirri, asteroidi vaporosi e soffici
e può anche accadere che irrompa un bolide non si sa da qual vento sospinto.
Ma questa è scienza
meteorologia astratta
geologia e geografia insieme
inesatta e purissima astronomia
quand’esse son lassù a giocare invece per gli eterni bimbi
per i cuori dell’infanzia
per noi solamente
per noi
piccoli e sperduti principi d’un pianeta perduto.

© Romano Zeraschi