Celestial Faces
The sun and moon have been inspiring artists for thousands of years, but lately they seem to be taking on a little more personality. Across art and design, celestial symbols are appearing with faces and expressions—the suns benevolent and cheerful, the moons dreamy, sleepy, and slightly mysterious. There’s a folk-art, tarot, and astrology quality to the imagery, but rendered with enough humor and naïveté that it feels playful rather than overly mystical or New Age.
The motif is part of a broader fascination with all things celestial. Pinterest named “Extra Celestial” one of its major trends for 2026, while suns, moons, and stars have been turning up across interiors, fashion, and jewelry. Designer Kit Kemp recently explored the enduring appeal of celestial motifs in interiors, including the playful moon faces that have appeared throughout decorative arts.
Of course, there’s nothing particularly new about giving the heavens a human face. We’ve been personifying the sun and moon for thousands of years, perhaps because it makes something enormous and unknowable feel a little more intimate. What feels new is the way artists are filtering those ancient symbols through a contemporary folk-art sensibility: loose lines, bold color, simple shapes, and expressive faces that feel simultaneously ancient and charmingly childlike. The result is artwork that taps into astrology and mythology without taking either too seriously—a little cosmic, a little nostalgic, and full of personality.
