Anyone up for ice skating?

Happy New Year!

If you follow the path in Welcome to the Cwm down to the bonfire and look to the right, you might see the Northern Lights.

This is the Christmas version of my seasonal “snow globe” idea.

“‘Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.’
And, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.”
December 13, 2016

I was trying to make a picture with the Northern Lights. I'm not sure it turned out very authentic, but I thought it made a nice picture anyway.
Created in Vue 11 Complete with minor adjustments in Paint Shop Pro.

This space fantasy image was inspired by Empyrean from Mike Oldfield's Music of the Spheres.

Waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, waning crescent. You'll have to imagine the new moon …

A simple Christmas desktop made in Vue. I like to reuse my abstract designs as textures, so the sky texture comes from Chaos Tie-Dyed, and the red and gold balls from Rubies & Gold.

The celestial orchard where stars and moons are grown. Created entirely in Paint Shop Pro. I'd had the idea for this image in my mind for a while, and finally got around to making it. I got a lot of practice with the pen tool, and these tree shapes might show up again.

This was an exercise in color symbolism. Purple often indicates royalty and wealth. Because it's (relatively) rare in nature, and purple dyes used to be difficult to make and therefore expensive, only the wealthiest could afford to dress in purple.

“Her clothing is silk and purple.…”
- Proverbs 31:22

“And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.”
— Esther 8:15

“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.”
— Luke 16:19

“They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. And they began to call out to him, ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’”
— Mark 15:17-18

How did the bridge break? Is he responsible? Can it be repaired - or is there another way over? Does he even really want to get to the other side? Is the sun rising or setting on the other side? This piece lends itself to many interpretations - and raises many questions.