Beth Moon

An Introduction

With her large-scale, richly toned platinum-palladium prints, Beth Moon has captured the attention of art enthusiasts and critics around the world. As a photographer based in the San Francisco Bay area, Moon has garnered international recognition for her stunning and timeless works, thru a extraordinary career of beauty and significance of her art.

One cannot help but be captivated by Moon’s mastery of the platinum-palladium printing process. The intricate details and subtle tonal variations in her prints create a sense of depth and texture that is truly mesmerizing. This technique, known for its archival quality, adds a unique and ethereal touch to her photographs, making them appear almost dreamlike. Each print becomes an intimate dialogue between the artist and the viewer, inviting them to immerse themselves in the beauty of the natural world.

One of Moon’s most notable achievements is being published in a solo book by National Geographic. This spectacular oversize photo book celebrates Africa’s most majestic trees, which are currently facing an unprecedented ecological threat. Through her lens, Moon captures the resilience and beauty of these ancient trees, urging us to appreciate and protect our natural heritage. Her work serves as a powerful reminder of the fragile balance between human activity and the environment, while also showcasing the undeniable grandeur of nature.

In addition to her celebrated book on African trees, Moon has authored several other striking volumes. “Ancient Trees - Portraits of Time,” “Ancient Skies, Ancient Trees,” and “Literary Chickens” are all testament to Moon’s versatility as an artist. Through her exploration of various subjects, she demonstrates her ability to find and highlight the extraordinary in the seemingly ordinary. Each image is imbued with a sense of narrative and emotion, inviting the viewer to ponder the stories and histories that surround us.

Moon’s work has been exhibited in prestigious galleries and museums across the globe. From the United States to Italy, England to Singapore, her art has captivated audiences far and wide. Her prints can now be found in numerous public and private collections, including the esteemed Museum of Fine Arts in Houston and the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego. The international recognition and acclaim she has received are a testament to the universal appeal of her art.

What sets Moon’s work apart is its timelessness. Her photographs transcend passing trends and fads, inviting viewers to contemplate the enduring beauty of the natural world. Whether capturing the majestic contours of an ancient tree or the serene gaze of a literary chicken, Moon brings a sense of reverence and celebration to her subjects. Each image serves as a testament to the power of art to inspire and uplift the human spirit.

Artist Statement

By using the longest lasting photographic process, I hope to speak about survival, not only of man and nature’s but to photography’s survival as well. For each print I mix ground platinum and palladium metals, making a tincture that is hand-coated onto heavy watercolor paper and exposed to light. There are many steps involved in creating the final print and these are as important to me as the capturing of the image – A platinum print can last for centuries, drawing on the common theme of time and survival, pairing photographic subject and process

Artist Bio

San Francisco Bay Area artist, Beth Moon was born in Neenah, Wisconsin and studied fine art at the University of Wisconsin. She has gained international recognition for her large-scale, richly toned platinum prints. Since 1999, Moon’s work has appeared in more than sixty solo and group exhibitions in the United States, Italy, England, France, Israel, Brazil, Dubai, Singapore, and Canada. Her work is held in numerous public and private collections, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego, and the Fox Talbot Museum in Wiltshire, England.

In 2013, Between Earth and Sky, the first monograph of her work, was published by Charta Art Books of Milan. In 2014, Abbeville Press published, Ancient Trees - Portraits of Time, with a third book to follow that same year from Galerie Vevais, La Lange Verte. Moon studied fine art at the University of Wisconsin before moving to England where she experimented with alternative photographic processes and learned to make platinum prints.

Beth Moon was born in Neenah, Wisconsin and studied fine art at the University of Wisconsin. Classes in painting, life drawing, sculpture, and design would set the groundwork for her work in photography, which was to come years later. Moving to England, a country with a love for all things arboreal, gave her a fresh look at a land that boasts the largest concentration of ancient trees. Inspired by these trees she decided to make a series of their portraits. Unhappy with the photographic tonality and stability of ink-jet printing, she started to experiment with alternative printing processes, learning platinum/palladium printing, an ideal process for her vision. She concentrated on mastering this printing technique, doing all of her own printing.

The Copperprint Presents:

The Beth Moon Exhibit