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If you visited Greg Mort's studio you would find that the objects seen in the trompe l'oeil painting "Nine Planets" are part of his personal landscape. His life long fascination with astronomy has lead to a blending of his vocation as a painter and avocation as a passionate viewer of the night sky. This exquisitely detailed and cleverly arranged still life puzzle is another example of how much the artist enjoys expressing his love of the stars to others. Mort invites the viewer into this painting by providing some easily recognizable images and or symbols for the nine planets, However, the artist further challenges us to seek out those that are less well known and perhaps disguised. Mercury is shown by its symbol on the antique book latch. Venus is presented in the word Venus on the screw driver. Earth is seen on the stamp with the Gemini astronaut space walking. Mars is the image on the post card. Jupiter Is hidden as the striped spot on the gourd. Saturn is discernible on the color negative. Uranus is represented by its symbol hidden on the back side of the playing card. Neptune's trident is carved into the brass key. Pluto is honored on the round tag hanging off the book showing the initials of the man responsible for its discovery, Percival Lowell. The original watercolor "Nine Planets" is in a private collection in Delaware. Mort chose "Nine Planets" as one of his limited edition lithographs to share the beauty and mysteries of the planets. He worked closely with the preeminent chromists at Westland Printers to create an image of exceptional character and fidelity. Each lithograph is individually hand titled, signed and numbered by the artist. The over all size of the image is 18" X 19" and is printed on Museum quality Mohawk Superfine eighty pound paper. "Nine Planets" was published in a limited edition of only nine hundred and fifty. |