A long time ago, the artist's father was an amateur boxer who reached the level of state champion in the light heavyweight category. Family lore has it that he defeated a much larger opponent (his 5'8'' to the other man's 6'3''). If true, that was quite the reach.
Skyler infused this story with the symbol of the blood moon. While the phenomenon of the full moon eclipse is of no cosmological significance, there are many interpretations attached to its striking appearance: to Mesopotamians and Incas, the blood moon symbolizes the death and the downfall of the king. However, some Native American tribes thought that a moon turns red when it is deprived of love and care.
The hint of glory and the lack of steady affection sums up the artist's early days, but the painting also poses the question what part of any important conquest is determined by little-understood factors. If the moon turns the tides and affects our moods, what might a blood moon do on fight night?
