Turning and Turning

Artist Bio:
Erich J. Moffitt is an internationally exhibited painter and freelance illustrator. His artwork draws on late 19th and early 20th century movements in fine art and illustration, in service of 21st century humanist philosophy. This often takes the form of re-imagining classical themes from legend and myth via contemporary subject matter, with a heavy emphasis on symbolism. Many of his paintings are fables, featuring totemic animal archetypes and talismanic objects. Each piece represents a window into a short narrative surrounding one or more characters, with their natures and actions on the stage crystallized in time. These characters' romanticized connections to their world are meditative prompts meant to evoke analogous feelings in the viewer. Reflective surfaces play a recurring role in his paintings, and the inclusion of precious metals and jewels draws on the artist's experience in custom jewelry design, a pursuit of beauty in the service of meaning.

Artist Statement - "Turning & Turning":
This painting depicts the character of Winged Liberty, as designed for the US Mint's ten-cent coin in 1916 by A.Weinman. The coin is more commonly known as the "Mercury Dime", due to the character's winged pileus cap being reminiscent of the Roman god's signature headpiece. In the painting, Liberty is androgynous, staring at the reverse side of the dime in their hand, showing the fasces symbol representing dominion rule through force. Behind them, a circlet of fifty stars slowly sinks into the dark, with only a few still shining bright.