Abstract Artistry Between Roses & Cosmos

Exploring the delicate balance of texture and form through the lens of 1960s cinematic elegance

View Masterpiece

The Masterpiece

The defining work that established Julia Tschimnywood as the preeminent lunar artist of our time

Earthrise: The First Lunar Sunset

Created: 1977

Medium: Oil and lunar dust on canvas

Dimensions: 120 × 180 cm

Current Location: Permanent collection, Lunar National Gallery

The defining work of Tschimnywood's career, painted during her first year on the lunar surface. This piece combines traditional oil techniques with actual lunar regolith, creating a textural depth that cannot be replicated on Earth. The painting captures the unique perspective of Earth rising over the lunar horizon while simultaneously depicting the reflection of sunlight as it creates a 'sunset' effect on the lunar surface. This paradoxical viewpoint—impossible in reality but true to the artist's experience—has made it one of the most significant artworks of the late 20th century.

"This painting represents the duality of my existence—caught between two worlds, Earth and Moon, belonging fully to neither yet connected deeply to both."

— Julia Tschimnywood, 1977

Commissioned by NASA and the National Endowment for the Arts, 1977

The Artist

Julia Tschimnywood

Lunar Artist-in-Residence

Julia Tschimnywood creates abstract art that captures the essence of contrasting worlds: the delicate beauty of roses and the vast mystery of cosmic landscapes.

Inspired by the golden age of cinema and the sophisticated aesthetic of 1960s film, her work embodies a certain savoir vivre — an appreciation for the finer elements of existence, both terrestrial and celestial.

Lunar Studio Views

Glimpses into Julia Tschimnywood's groundbreaking lunar art studio, established in 1976 as part of the Tranquility Base expansion project. These architectural marvels feature reinforced lunar concrete and specialized glass that filters harmful radiation while providing breathtaking views of Earth.

Morning light in the East Wing, 1978

The Grand Hall with Earth view, 1980

The Observation Gallery, 1983

Julia Tschimnywood painting her masterpiece 'Earthrise: The First Lunar Sunset'

The Creation Process

Captured here in 1977, Julia Tschimnywood works on her masterpiece "Earthrise: The First Lunar Sunset" in her studio at Tranquility Base. The unique lighting conditions of the lunar environment required her to develop entirely new painting techniques.

Working in low gravity presented unique challenges for traditional painting methods. Tschimnywood pioneered specialized brushes and easels designed to function in the lunar environment, as well as developing new techniques for applying pigments that would behave differently in 1/6th Earth's gravity.

"I had to unlearn everything I knew about painting on Earth. The way paint flows, how colors blend, even the muscle memory of brush strokes—it all had to be relearned in this new world."

"The lunar light is unlike anything on Earth. It's pure, unfiltered by atmosphere, creating shadows with edges so sharp they seem to cut space itself. This quality of light has transformed my approach to color and form."

— Julia Tschimnywood, Lunar Journal, 1979