ARTIST: Kirk Stirnweis (Colorado, New Hampshire, born 1967)
NAME: Luna Moth
YEAR: 1987
MEDIUM: oil on board
CONDITION: Excellent. No visible inpaint under UV light.
SIGHT SIZE: 13 x 18 inches / 33 x 45 cm
BOARD SIZE: 18 x 22 inches / 45 x 55 cm
SIGNATURE: lower left
NOTE: This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day of Issue Maximum Card of the 22c Luna Moth issued on June 13, 1987. Appropriately named after the Roman goddess of the Moon, the Luna Moth is one of the most beautiful insects indigenous of North America. Large and graceful, the Luna Moth is a member of the Saturniidae, or silk worm family. Their pale green wings, with a small eye-like dot near the center, span more than four in. A normal year may have one or two generations of Luna Moths successfully bred. Females place their eggs among dead plants so the tiny caterpillars, once hatched, will find themselves on or near their very first meal. Partaking mostly of Sweet Gum, Hickory, Walnut and Persimmon leaves, the caterpillars grow, shedding each warty skin as it gets too tight. When fully grown and the tim is right, this intricate larva spins a silk-like cocoon. Inside, it is somewhat active while its body changes form. When the adult is ready, she emerges as a moth. Her frame is soft at first, her wings yet small and limp. Hanging so that they might dry, the Luna Moth takes her final form.
PROVENANCE: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.
CATEGORY: antique vintage painting
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BIOGRAPHY:
Kirk Stirnweis was born in Suffern, NY. and grew up in Connecticut. His parents moved to New Hampshire and Kirk moved his family to Montana, Arizona, back east to New Hampshire; while keeping a foothold in Loveland, Colorado.As a child his mother recalls If you gave him a box of crayons he would draw for hours. Raised by a family of artists: his father was an illustrator and his mother had a background in graphics. There was always a lot of input and discussion about art in the family. His hobbies include: Canoeing, Rock Climbing, S.C.U.B.A diving, and archery. During the summers, after high school, he would draw and paint at a nearby school: Silvermine Artist Guild. During the same time period he studied anatomy with a retired surgeon Dr. Pool and took one of his first classes with working professional artists. One of his major influences was Robert Baxter; who taught the principals of master composition, and encouraged Kirk to copy master paintings and go into illustration to hone your skills to a professional level.Kirk was educated at several different schools with minors in marine biology and medicine He holds an Associates in radiologic sciences and a Bachelors degree in Medical imaging. His art education was pushed further by private instruction from several working professional artists. Because of his insatiable desire to learn and grow; his resume reads like a who's who of western and wildlife artists. Including advanced study seminars and portfolio review with: Howard Terpning, Paul Calle, Fed & Debra Fellows, Carl Brenders, John Seery Lester, Allan Hunt, Morton Solberg and the late Ray (Paco) Young.Kirk started working in illustration right out of high school at Field& Stream magazine. Other commercial accounts include: MBNA Bank Corporate Collection, Harlequin Romance Novels, Leisure Books, National Wildlife Federation, Unicover Corporation, Danbury Mint, Hamilton Collection, Little Big Horn National Monument, Philadelphia PA. and New Haven, CT. Diocese as well as, innumerable portraits of corporate professionals.