Moonshine by Mark Keathley

I love the mystery of the night sky and the “lesser” lights. Scripture teaches that these heavenly bodies were given as signs for man to know and understand what is coming and when it will be. Understanding the orbits of the planets, the moon, and the arrangement of stars are mysteries long lost in an age of science and “understanding.” We look up there and wonder in light years and moon phases, and we aren’t aware of the big picture of things to come. Even this month, crossing over the Smoky Mountains is one such mystery – the Solar Eclipse – and science will explain it for us and few will see into the sign it portrays. In our modern world, we would rather focus on the things around us – how to make life easier and more enjoyable.

In the pursuit of happiness, however, the ancient arts of brewing and distilling haven’t been lost! In my recent painting – MOONSHINE – I’ve combined the mystery of the full moon and the making of “white lightning” into one  fanciful depiction of the back woods craft so popular in the mountains. In this space, no one would know or see the secret recipe, and we are free to make a beverage for ourselves and our friends to enjoy. In Moonshine, a different bunch of friends has found the stash and are enjoying a different mystery.    -Mark Keathley