ALABAMA ARTIST: How High The Moon

"Youngerman's Barn," a watercolor painting by Carlos Alpha "Shiney" Moon, was included in an in a March 1953 exhibition at the Montgomery Museum Fine Arts. The painting was also shown in the 1953 Florida International Art Exhibition where it received a Grumbacher Award of Merit.

ALABAMA ARTIST: March–April 1953

Carlos Alpha Moon or "Shiney," as he is known to all of his students, painting associates and friends was born on May 18, 1906. He has been interested in art as long as he can remember, but found it impossible to do anything about it until 1944 when an invitation to the Dixie Art Colony resulted in his association with Kelly Fitzpatrick long-time art leader in Alabama.

As a result of Kelly's influence and encouragement, Shiney's hobby of painting became a very serious business. His first interest was in oils and he used this medium steadily until 1946. His first one-man show at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, in 1946 was composed entirely of oils. Later that year Mr. Moon and Kelly made a trip to the Carolinas together. On this trip and on subsequent painting jaunts to New Orleans and the bayou country, Shiney became interested in the medium of watercolor.

When the Bayou Art Colony was founded at Bayou La Batre, Alabama, Mr. Moon became co-instructor with Mrs. Genevieve Sutherland, who is known throughout the south as a watercolorist and teacher, and Kelly Fitzpatrick. Here, watercolor soon became his favorite medium. Continuing his training in the use of watercolor, Mr. Moon has recently studied with Morris Davidson at Provincetown, Massachusetts.

His month-long one-man show at the Montgomery Museum, which closed on March 29, was a graphic diary of his trips through the Carolinas, to New Orleans, South Florida and New England. The New England group included new paintings from material gathered in Provincetown and Rockport.

During the past six years, Shiney has held sixteen one-man shows throughout the south. His works have been exhibited in various art League exhibits, including the Florida International, Pennsylvania Annual, Birmingham art Association, Mobile Art Association, Watercolor society of Alabama, Alabama Art League and the Mobile watercolor Society. His prize awards include: Alabama Art League, 1947, First Prize—Most Outstanding Watercolor; Watercolor Society of Alabama, 1949, Second Place Award, Alabama Art League, 1950, Burton Award; Mobile Watercolor Society, 1951, Art Center Award; Alabama Art League, 1951 Loveman, Joseph and Loeb Purchase Prize; Watercolor Society of Alabama 1953, Mobile Art Center Award.

Mr. Moon is past-President of the Watercolor Society of Alabama, and past-Vice-President of the Alabama Art League.

From the impressive number of outstanding paintings which shine has produced in the past nine years, it would seem that he is attempting to make up for the time lost in the years before he began painting. His career as an artist may well serve as inspiration to those of us who "don't have time" for painting. Neither did shine, now he has time for little else!

—From Alabama Artist March–April 1953, the official publication of The Alabama Art League

More About Shiney Moon

Dixie Art Colony Foundation, Wetumpka, Alabama

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