Across the Orange Moons 1967

Alexander Calder made *Across the Orange Moons* using gouache, probably in his studio, maybe with jazz playing in the background. Imagine Calder standing at his easel, brush in hand, making those bold strokes of black that crisscross the canvas. I like how the composition balances simple shapes and stark contrasts. It’s playful yet precise. He must have been thinking about movement, about how forms interact and create a sense of energy on a flat surface. The paint looks fluid and spontaneous, but I bet it took a lot of planning to get that feeling of effortless balance. There’s a kinship here with other artists like Miró, who also knew how to make the absurd feel like the most natural thing in the world. Artists are always riffing off each other, you know? It’s like a big, ongoing conversation, passing ideas back and forth across generations. Painting can be a real adventure like that. It's not about knowing all the answers but about embracing the questions and finding new ways to see and feel.