Moon Swim La Luna

Original Painting by Juliet Best

Dimensions: 800 x 800 x 50mm

Painted on canvas and finished with museum-quality UV archival varnish, it is presented in a float frame of black satin timber.

As the light shifts throughout the day, its richly layered surface reveals new depth, texture and quiet moments of discovery.

Exhibition Statement - Derived from Nature

I was delighted to be invited to be part of Derived From Nature at Ora Gallery. 

I love the energy that comes from artists responding to a shared theme while bringing their own voice and perspective. It creates a collective energy that can feel rich and dynamic.

For this exhibition, I have drawn deeply on my love of Aotearoa and our extraordinary natural landscapes. 

This is finding its way into my colour palette, an increased use of gold and a series of thoughtful titles inspired by this exhibition.

The work is coming together so well in the studio and I am really excited to see it form one beautiful body of work at Ora Gallery.

About the Artist

Juliet Best’s deep love for Aotearoa is at the heart of all her paintings.

She is inspired by the extraordinary light and sense of place, and by the coastlines, mountain ranges and rich geographic diversity of New Zealand.

These influences have shaped her painting for many years, from landscape to native flora and fauna.

Juliet creates highly textured, sculptural landforms through layers of impasto, rich mineral and jewel tones, and hand-gilded gold leaf.

The layered gold has a soft, luminous quality that shifts beautifully with the changing light, bringing warmth and a quiet sense of luxury to each work.

Her original paintings are finished with high-grade UV-protective art varnish, with selected works also produced as archival-quality limited edition fine art prints.