Quack-Quack-Quack went the ducks in the night.  The allure was as much sound as sight.  I was joined by my artist friend, Shawn Cornell, to paint "en plein air" the rise of the moon over Mallard Lake in Creve Coeur Park.  We set up near the Creve Coeur Lakehouse.  I arrived early to scout for painting compositions as I wasn't familiar with the park.  Looking east, I sensed a narrow lake.  Perfect I thought, but I couldn't confirm as there was no light in the sky yet.  Then a mallard quartet (or so) began, and that settled that.  The moon rose near 8 pm behind a forest of trees from my vantage. 

Surrounded by plentiful darkness and mood, the advice of English Artist Walter Sickert came to mind for my painting approach.  Sickert claimed that a painting should always indicate that you noticed something.  On this night I noticed two things in particular.  First, the moon rising behind the trees created a striking show.  Every second, the shape of the moon changed with the contours of the branches.  Second, there was a significant glow around the moon.  For this piece, those were my 2 primary goals.  I also "noticed" the mallard quacks, but no pigment has been invented yet for that.