It was difficult to choose what piece of Forest’s work should go into this first issue because there are so many beautiful ones in a variety of different mediums: intricate, colorful abstract patterns in colored pencil; birds and flowers in acrylic paint; watery shapes in homemade inks. The one we chose is a landscape of Beijing painted with cherry, turmeric, and acorn cap ink. The sky and the moon seem to change every time I look at it, making it new over and over again.
I met Dan when he arrived at Antioch College in January of 2022. He took my Expository Writing class, and I could tell right away he was an avid nature lover as well as a talented writer. To my surprise, Dan had already written a chapbook of poetry and a book on holistic indoor gardening. His work is thoughtful and heartfelt as are his interactions with the earth and the people around him. Below is one of Dan’s original photographs of the moon accompanied by a poem. It inspires contemplation and calm in a world that sorely needs it.
In July of 2022 I redesigned the Moonraker Press website. In doing so, I decided to take down the original papercut created by Austin Korner — with additional coloring and digital design by Forest Bright — from the homepage, which served as the first official representation of Moonraker Press (and will still be the logo). It’s such a great image that I want to archive it here to give Austin and Forest special thanks.
Moonraker Press and Magazine 