Earth From Space Series
"Man must rise above the Earth...to the top of the atmosphere and beyond...for only thus will he understand the world in which he lives."
- Socrates
Astronauts are the lucky few that have risen above the Earth and beyond, and, as Socrates predicted, that perspective has changed them and the way they understand the world on which they live.
I have created a series of paintings based on quotes about the Earth from the Apollo and Shuttle astronauts, some are deep and profound, some are not, but they all represent very human responses to (what I can only imagine) is an extraordinary experience.
People often ask me what is the value of space exploration, and there are so many answers to that question, but this is one that I often forget about. It was not a coincidence that the environmental movement started, and the first Earth day celebrations happened, soon after the Apollo program began returning images of the Earth from a distance. Seeing even a photograph of our world hanging there alone in the vastness of space made us instantly aware of how fragile it is, but for those that have seen that view in person, nearly all of them describe it as profound and life changing.
