Taurus, Starry Nights and Painting Animals

Taurus
encaustic and paper on birch 16 x 16

There are 19 of them in the night's sky.  19 animals play in the stars.  Of course we all know Taurus and Leo and Cancer and Scorpio - but did you know there are dogs and bears and fish and birds?  A lion, a dragon and a whale? -  and Pegasus too.  Which means there really are more than 19 - but the point being - there are enough animals to keep me busy painting for a while.  I'm liking the thought of painting them all and using these amazing celestial creatures as inspiration.  I got this great book to teach me about the Zoo in the Sky. 

My Taurus is a Brahma Bull, not really a fierce Bull terrorizing the Twins in the night sky.  He looks a bit tame actually.  He's on a recycled panel, one that has held many paintings that are now within the layers.  I also used one of the charts that I found this time last year.  Knew they would come in handy at some point.  I think Cancer will look pretty at home on a chart as well as Volans, Cetus and Dorado.  Seems that all of the sea animals live in the Southern Hemisphere - so my friends in OZ might be familiar with them. 

So, the next starry night you have - look up and see the animals dancing about in the sky.  I know I'll need to have a chart of some kind to identify them.  But, it will be fun to see how many I can find.    Happy Friday!