For an oil painter, I’ve been doing a good deal in acrylic lately. It’s not entirely new. Acrylic paint and I have been friends for a long time. It’s partly to be able to create works on paper and make them available for less cost than works on canvas. Like about a third less! The fact is, it’s good paint. And, depending on many things, it’s often hard to tell the difference between an acrylic and an oil painting. It just goes down differently, requires a different technique, and allows some effects that can’t be achieved in oils. These and more will be featured at our show at the house coming up. Click here for info and invitation.

Sunset Flight 1 thru 8, acrylic on paper

Here’s a painting that no longer exists, at least not quite like this. It was painted on one big piece of heavy paper but afterward I wondered how it could be better. And, as destruction is often part of the creative process, the painting went under the knife. With a bit of careful measuring and cutting, the mother painting gave birth to eight children. Of course, the mother no longer exists. One could, however, purchase them all and put them back together.  Or any set of twins, or triplets. Then again, octuplets have been in vogue of late.

Sunset Flight 4, acrylic on paper, 11.25×10

I was in a yellow phase when I painted all these pieces. Picasso’s blue period lasted a number of years; my yellow period was more like weeks. Not that I won’t return; it’s a great color. When Vincent Van Gogh wrote to his brother Theo to send more paint he added, “Especially yellow.”

Sunset Flight 5, acrylic on paper, 11.25×10

There’s a lot of abstraction in these pieces, a simplifying of form, an abbreviation to the most essential elements. That’s basically what abstraction is (consider the abstract of a scientific paper). Such can make for most pleasing designs. Take Marooned 3, below, one of four in the series, each slightly different, each luscious in texture and color and layers of paint.

Marooned 3, acrylic on paper, 26×20

You’ll have to overlook the areas of “glare” in these representations. It’s hard to avoid in the photographic process, what with the natural sheen in the paint medium. In person such glistening is a pleasing addition and changes as you move.

Yellow Sky, acrylic on paper, 22.5×30

In almost every case the paintings are named after they’re done. That can be most challenging when it comes to abstract pieces. I wasn’t necessarily thinking “yellow sky” when I was painting the one above. It could have just as well been something like “I wonder what a glob of this will do.” I’m hesitant to influence viewers away from their own interpretation when they might be happier with something else, like “Grand Canyon Close Up,” or “First Day of Creation,” or “Who Spilled the Yellow?”

Yellow Ground, oil on paper, 22.5×30

Though most pieces in this blog are acrylic on paper, this one was done in oil paint on paper. Oil just has a different flow, operates differently, dries slow and, of course, isn’t meant for paper. But there are things you can do to make the paper archival. And even if you don’t, as I’ve learned lately, such works do stand the test of time. Works of oil on paper have been discovered from Renaissance days.

Sunflower Field, acrylic on paper, 22.5×60

While I was at these abstractions of landscapes and sunsets and the like, I thought I might as well interject something recognizable. Thus, the Sunflower Field above.  The reproduction here doesn’t do the piece justice as the impression itself comes from it’s sheer size. At five feet wide it would be great over a couch. It’s big enough to transform whatever room it’s in. And take you right outside.

Sunflowers 1 and Sunflowers 2, acrylic on paper, 15×11 (each)

Since I’ve been painting more in series lately, one wide sunflower field begged for a pair of smaller pieces. These are two separate paintings, and each works well alone. But there’s something appealing about a set, no? Flowers do come in bunches.

Folclórico Duo, acrylic on paper, 18.5×26.5

Lest we leave the world of life’s true flowers, here’s one more, again done in acrylic on paper. Everything’s blurry for the movement, like a breeze blowing through the leaves of their souls. It’s the kind of painting I’ll probably do more of when I get older, when the vision grows dim and the hands tremble. Hopefully, that’s a long time from now. For now it’s intentional. Maybe by then no one will notice the difference.

Summer Show at the House

It’s a first, having a show at the house in the summer.
Come and enjoy the light and the air, as well as all the new works,
including all these works on paper, and a whole lot of oils.

August 15-16
Saturday, 4:00-9:00
Sunday, 1:00-5:00

33752 Big Sur
Dana Point, California 92629

Festival of the Arts

Booth A-14, Anne continues to show her work, along with many other good artists

Through August 31, 2009
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 p.m

650 Laguna Canyon Road
Laguna Beach, California

Lecture: How to Start a Painting

By Hyatt Moore
Friday, August 21
6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
at San Clemente Art Supply
Limited to 24. Call 949-369-6603 to reserve a place.

Workshop: Loosen Up

September 12-13
also at San Clemente Art Supply.
Call early for reservation.
Click here for details.

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Once again Anne is among the illustrious artists showing at the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach. The fact is she didn’t even need to apply this year as she was invited back at the end of the season last year.  Opening July fourth weekend, the festival continues through the end of August.  Her booth is bedecked with some of her latest work, set off by that Pinot Noir red and, of course, enhanced by her warm smile and engaging presence. But then I’ve long been a fan.

Anne at her booth, set for the summer

Again this year, not only are festival visitors arrested by the art, a good number are signing up for the informal classes she teaches in her studio. Not that students come away with work quite to the level of her 15 years of exploration in the medium, but they can hope. And they do always come away with something.

Balancing Act, monotype, 11×11

In a sense every artist’s signature should be all through the artwork, it being the individual flourish of his or her own style. It’s certainly so in Anne’s work; but in addition, there’s often an element of her actual handwriting right in the piece as well. Sometimes there’s a “message,” most often it’s just another design element, something to engage, to wonder about. It doesn’t hurt that she has a very graceful hand when it comes to writing.

Beneath the Surface, monotype, 14×13

As always, these pieces need to be seen in person to be fully appreciated. We’re grateful for this electronic medium, but nothing takes the place of experiencing them up close and at full size.  As much as anything they’re studies in layers, often as not with found objects making up the inked plates, yet with a natural sense of design and just enough “fussing” to evidence there was a master craftsman behind all this indeed.

Forensic Allusions, monotype, 14.5×18

The pieces shown in this e-gallery are some of those featured in the show. That is, at least for now. Any of them can find new homes at any time, which of course is what it’s all about. Well, not all about. There are many reasons for making and showing art. Put an h and an e in front of that word and you’ll have another big reason. Then there’s the camaraderie with other like-minded people and meeting new friends along the way. That’s the public part of the work, after the pieces themselves are developed while alone in the solace of the studio. “Solace,” there’s a good name for a print. See below.

Contrary to the Evidence, monotype, 20×11

But first, check out “Contrary to the Evidence.” It’s right there behind Anne’s shoulder in the picture at the top. At the edge of the picture is the match for the print, that one entitled, “Evidence to the Contrary.” These titles are part of the fun, and part of the engagement. The engagement being preliminary to a marriage. (That’s a sale.)

Bakke Graduate University printed materials

Here’s another use for art. Once again Bakke Graduate University in Seattle has approached Anne for permission to use her work in their printed materials. Shown is the front and back cover for an introduction to the school, produced a year ago. Placed on top of that is this year’s commencement program. As you can see, the art is a great addition to their image. What you can’t see is all the other places these pieces are used inside the materials. All very beautiful.

Solace, monotype, 11×11

Finally, here’s Solace, the title mentioned above, and the piece used this year by Bakke Graduate University. We should add here that Bakke is a school that attracts students from around the world. You can see how they would be attracted to some of Anne’s internationalized pieces.

Moore and Moore Art home page

Here’s a new website home page that connects Anne’s and my sites. “Moore and Moore Art” is a business name we’ve had for some years. We use it sometimes. Actually, we’re usually too busy making the art to try to figure out how to market it. But that is part of the game. While “starving artist” holds something of a romantic ring, it’s never been our long term goal. So, in an effort to become a little more visible, we’ve created the Moore and Moore Art website. It’s only one page deep. The introductory material is there, with offer of a brochure, with mention of the kind of clients we serve, and then with links to the individual sites.  Try it and see how it works. Better yet, send it to a friend.

CURRENT SHOWS

Festival of the Arts
650 Laguna Canyon Road
Laguna Beach, California
Through August 31, 2009
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 p.m
(Anne is normally on site Thursday evening, Sundays and Mondays)

Gallery on Glassell, “Moods of Summer”
Including new works by Hyatt Moore
Opening ths coming Saturday, July 18, 7-9 pm, through August 20
115 N. Glassell
Orange, California 92866
(714) 744-9844

FUTURE SHOWS

Mark your calendar for the
Summer Studio Show
at the Hyatt and Anne Moore abode in Dana Point
August 15-16
Watch next e-gallery for more info.

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Painting is always happening around this house and studio, but the subject matter and style can differ from week to week. Or day to day. Sometimes the motivation is internal, sometimes external. I get my own ideas, or directions are suggested to me. A gallery or client can be a significant force in the latter. In the work that follows, it was the occasion of being accepted at a new gallery, one that deals with the interior design trade exclusively. As such, color harmonies become paramount, and the usefulness of painting in themes. For this reason, my most recent paintings have been in series. And for this moment, acrylic on paper.

Yellow Sign, Acrylic on Paper, 11×16 (Click on images for larger view)

You may remember this one. I did it with a number of others last fall and shared them in an e-gallery (see Works on Paper in the “Recent Posts” section at right). It attracted the gallery owner’s eye and she requested more along the theme.

Short Jeans, Acrylic on Paper, 11×16

It’s only May but summer will be here soon enough to enjoy a few beach scenes. For the one above there was a good deal I had to make up. In the photo, it was just the girl and a whole lot of sand. A little empty, composition-wise. So, the rest is abstracted in. Is that that same yellow sign from the first painting? Maybe. And all that other stuff is just that, other stuff.

Lookers and a Surfer, Acrylic on Paper, 11×16

The challenge in a painting like this one is the multiple figures. Each one of them is basically a “life drawing” challenge, getting all the proportions right. Putting two together in a painting is a risk. While one can be right, the other can be wrong. Or the wrong size for the perspective. Or, or, or. In my photo the surfer was on the right but I moved him over to the left for the composition, and to give the girls something to look at. Thus, they’re “lookers.”

Organic Beach, Acrylic on Paper, 11×16

Here’s a study of earth and water, with the person between the elements being a combination of both. The photo was from an Hawaiian beach break, with a lot of energy right at the shore. The girl, chameleon like, is almost part of the sand. Thus the title: Organic Beach.

Ballerina 1, Acrylic on Paper, 15×11

Then, with the same creative burst, I returned to the dancer theme, though ballerinas this time instead of my more typical flamencos. My photo resources had them all in blue settings, and sometimes with other things going on. But selecting and adding and changing is part of the painter’s prerogative. Each needs to work within itself, or within its theme.

Ballerina 2, Acrylic on Paper, 15×11

The fast drying acrylic paint affords a scumbling effect (paint brushed lightly over another color) that can be quite delightful. And the slightly textured paper has a nice tooth for the drag of the brush. Not sure “drag” is the best word there, as it all happens with quick spontaneity.

Ballerina 3, Acrylic on Paper, 15×11

In this one, my photo had a full forest of dancers. Really quite impressive, but in order to read it, I selected just three. The trick is in emphasizing certain things, de-emphasizing others. The red is added just because. There’s not enough red in the world so I’m doing my part.

Ballerina 4, Acrylic on Paper, 15×11

This line of dancers trailed off to the stage door but for me, these were enough. And even then, those in the background are just suggested. These paintings should have the look of having been easy to do. And in a sense they were…the first time, and maybe the second time, or the third.

I’ve also been doing a series of abstracts for this new gallery…just studies in color and design. We’ll feature those in some future e-gallery.  Meantime, thanks for taking a look at this one. May your day be like the art: full of freedom, color, and even elegant movement.

Upcoming Events

In a week I’ll go to Paraguay, right in the middle of South America. The occasion is a number of commissions I’ll be painting for Su Rufugio, an extended complex to include an orphanage, a church, a feeding center, a sports complex and more. I’ve already done the first painting, shown here in miniature (click to enlarge). At 6 by 7.5 feet, it’s too big to ship. I’ll be hand-carrying it down on a bolt to stretch it on location. This trip is part for that, to present it publically, and do photography for future paintings.

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Detail from The Last Supper with Twelve Tribes, Oil on Canvas, 4.5 ft x 20 ft.  See full description and info about prints here.

It’s the time of year to commemorate that which can just as well be commemorated every day. Above is a detail of what has become my most famous painting The Last Supper with Twelve Tribes, sometimes now called The Next Supper. I did it for a missions conference in Vancouver some years back and immediately people wanted prints. It’s now available in many sizes and editions, from giant, full size reproductions, to limited editions on canvas or paper, to framed editions, to posters and bookmarks. Besides that, it’s become a meaningful presentation for churches as I share the platform with the full 20-foot original and tell of the motivation, the process of painting it, and its meaning.

And now there’s even an abbreviated version of my talking about it on YouTube. It was produced some time back by my friend Joe Class with recent aid by Emma Clark. Check it out.

Click on the picture for a larger view.

That’s a ten-minute version. I’ve given the full-length version twice in the last two months, and will twice more in the next two weeks. It’s a message that keeps going out, with no reason to stop, while I have voice.

Between Worlds, Mixed Media, 61.5 x 64.5, Courtesy of owners, Simon and Leah Young, Christchurch, England.

Here’s another take on Easter. I didn’t see this one coming. I was down on the floor working on this large abstract with virtually my whole body when I discovered what seemed a cross on the top of a hill. From there is was just a matter of following the story, though not too literally (this sky is white, but hell is still red). For a time I called it Golgotha, but in the end preferred Between Worlds, where it all took place.

Easter Afternoon, Oil on Canvas, 18 x 36. Courtesy of Mr. and Mrs. H. Swartz, Los Angeles.

Here’s another I didn’t see coming. It was a different painting to begin with, one I had on my website and even would have sold, but through some strange irony, by the time the collector called I had to confess I’d painted over it. Aspects of the old are still apparent but it became a completely new painting, and with that, a new title suggested itself. Again, don’t try to interpret it too literally. Remember, it’s art.

Pentecost, Oil over Acrylic on Canvas, 24 x 48. Courtesy of Glenn and Cheryl Chalkley, East Corinth, Maine.

Sometimes I’m asked to make something for the church, but when I was approached to make a painting to represent the Biblical book of Acts, I had too many ideas. My sketch book began filling up with studies of characters, all interesting, but no one of them representing all. So I took the abstract approach of the coming of that which the believers had been waiting for…even if they had no idea what exactly they were waiting for. A mighty wind. Fire in the air. Amazing how these things take us by surprise, and change everything.

Palm Sunday, Oil on Canvas, 42 x 42. Original available.

I hadn’t known I was going to include so much abstract material in this e-gallery, but here we are back to something representational. I did it some years ago, and as with all, this one has a story. I’d got the image from a slide labeled “Nepal.” So I called the painting Nepal Church. But then a friend who serves there told me if it was Nepal it wouldn’t be a church, as the church there is underground. So my daughter came up with the new title, Palm Sunday. It works.

Do enjoy yours. And honor the season.

Below are the upcoming speaking venues for the Last Supper “Big Picture” presentation. Each is also accompanied by a show of other pieces of my art. And don’t forget to take a look at the YouTube video. Feel free to forward it on. If you know some group who would like the full story, contact me. It’s not something to hide under a bushel.

Speaking Events

Granite Creek Community Church
April 5, 2009 (Palm Sunday), 9:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m.
1580 N Claremont Blvd.
Claremont, CA 91711
(909) 625-4455

Vineyard Community Church
April 10, 2009 (Good Friday), Meal, 7:00 p.m., Speaking, 8:00 p.m
27632 El Lazo
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
(714) 425-3738

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Anne at her press, the source of all this enigma.

Enigmatic Influence seemed a fitting title of this edition of the e-gallery if only because it’s the title of one of Anne’s recent creations (shown below). The word means mysterious, cryptic, and this one: resembling an enigma. (Very useful.) Such could be the title of the whole body of Anne’s work, what with the attention to the non-specific, the layers of intrigue, the half-buried colors, the hinted-at patterns, and the marvelous abundance of texture. Then there are the titles themselves, not too specific, but just enough to lead the mind…well…enigmatically.

Enigmatic Influence, 10×10. Click on pictures, and again for larger views.

The titles go on after the art is made, like a christening after a long gestation.  The studio is fairly piled with creations in some mid-stage, already intriguing, possibly beautiful, but not quite “finished,” a judgment only the artist can call.

Drawing Conclusions, 7×24.

Naming them used to be something of a stress, it usually needing to happen quickly, like standing at the nurse’s desk in the hospital when the baby’s just been born and something needs to be put down on the certificate. The pressure of the moment may be caused at the framing stage, or the photography for the website or any advertising. After that, the name sticks, and it shouldn’t be plain or uncommitted, like “Untitled, Number 47.”  It should have more intrigue, something rather hidden, something (here we go again) enigmatic.

Far and Wide, 7×24.

But how does one come up with an interesting title “on the spot”?  These days Anne thinks ahead. Like an expectant mother, she collects names. She’s aware of words. As she reads her novels she finds things, or she hears expressions, or discovers them in her own ruminations. And there’s one for you, Ruminations, or, Ruminations on Runes, fitting for some of the abstruse half-verbiage printed or calligraphed in by Anne in the process. All very enigmatic, indeed.

Overshadowing the Present, 7×24.

These small renditions, sized for the parameters of the blog (hey, there’s another title), don’t do justice to the pieces. They really need to be seen full size and in person. (Another title?) Each piece is like it’s own alphabet, or a find on some archeological wall, or an accident of nature that just happened to come together in some perfect design if cropped right. Such things happen, but it still takes an eye to see it. And more to create it.

Did I say, “Anne Moore to create it”?

Figuratively Speaking, 10×10.

All these pieces, and more (there we go again), will be featured in upcoming shows. There’s a progression of such on the list below. It’s all part of the process, the creation, the naming, and then the finding of a good home. It’s kind of an adoption that way, with a lot of love manifested by all parties.

Momentary Achievement, 14×15.

Anne’s work has developed to a level that is completely unique…each piece, and the whole body. Her peers recognize it and marvel. Not that she keeps it to herself. Her students come and leave with a piece that looks a lot like hers, what with her instruction and use of the same elements and inks and plates and found objects.

Plumbing the Depths, 11.5×10.5.

Then there’s the paper the pieces are printed on. In the past, Anne sometimes made her own. These days a lot of it is found in specialty shops, imported from wherever. Or she brings it home from distant travels, like Thailand, Indonesia, and Japan. Sometimes the paper has it’s own texture, or weave, or even foreign elements bonded in. It all goes together to make each piece a fingerprint of its maker, with no two ever exactly alike. That’s why they’re called monotypes, “mono,” one.

Solace, 11×11.

The Asian calligraphy, where it appears, is purely design, not message. And why not? The calligraphers themselves have art as the larger part of their intent. It’s the same with the Arabic numerals, right side up or down. They’re random things, that come together for sense. Enigmatic sense, that is.

Sensibility, 11×9.

All these could end up in a museum someday. The show title could be Artifacts of a Mind. Meanwhile, they are all up for adoption. Happily there’s an ever-growing audience for these works, and an attention to the one who makes them. She’s certainly my favorite artist, and that’s with a discerning eye. Feel free to agree with me.

And come to one of the shows if you can.

See her website for more.

Upcoming Shows

Sandstone Gallery, this month’s featured artist: Anne Moore

opening this Thursday evening, March 5, 6:00-9:00 pm.
384-A North Coast Highway
Laguna Beach, California 92651
March 5-30, 12:00-5:00 (closed Tuesdays)

House/Studio Show this weekend

a pre-view and pre-sale of work going to the La Quinta Art Festival
33752 Big Sur
Dana Point, California, 92629
Saturday March 7, 4:00-10:00
Sunday March 8, 1:00-5:00
Studio Show Announcement.

La Quinta Art Festival

adjacent booths for Anne Moore and Hyatt Moore, a first for us
La Quinta Civic Center Campus, California
March 12-15, 10:00-5:00
www.lqaf.com

Current Shows

Ocean Hills Church, 50 paintings by Hyatt Moore

32222 Del Obispo
San Juan Capistrano, California 92675
Feb. 8-April 3, by appointment

Heritage Christian Fellowship, abstract paintings by Hyatt Moore

190 Avenida La Pata
San Clemente, California 92673
Feb. 8-May 1, by appointment

Classes

Loosen Up, a weekend workshop for painters

A repeat of the popular workshop given last November
San Clemente Center for the Arts
1531 N. El Camino Real
San Clemente, California 92672
To sign up, call (949) 369-6603
Click here for details.

Semi-Private Art Coaching for Painters

Mondays in Dana Point
Call for your two-hour slot, 949-290-8643

Printmaking Classes by Anne Moore

By appointment, 949-240-4642

New Brochure

Wall Solutions, a beautiful new brochure for Moore and Moore Art is off the press. It’s for sharing with art lovers with walls. For a free copy (or supply of them for sharing with others) write us at moore@hyattmoore.com.

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Here’s a tribute to Winter while we’re still in the midst of it.
Being a Southern Californian, winter is something I like to go and visit.
Sometimes.
That’s exactly what we did over Christmas, when we went, Anne and I, with heavy coats, bought or borrowed, to Minnesota and then Wisconsin, for family and friends and frost and food and a great abundance of snow.

Snow Farm 1, Oil on Canvas, 11×20, on an early morning, moving down toward Madison.

Our daughter (one of four) lives in Minnesota, and my sister (one of three) in Wisconsin. Tamara (daughter) had just given birth to a third daughter of her own and we went to welcome her. And in Wisconsin I wanted to see my sister’s fairly recent situation. It was also a return to where I grew up. Sort of.

Snow Farm 2, Oil on Canvas, 12×16, blue on blue in loose style with paint shoveled on, like, well, snow. For larger views of all, click on the pictures.

It was my grandparents and sometimes uncles who lived in Wisconsin’s wider places. Dad had us in Milwaukee. But we’d get out on trips sometimes, in the old Nash, cruising over single-lane highways with stomach-sinking dips and Jersey cows on every side. Or were they Guernseys?
Was it so beautiful then?
It must have been.
The land is full of majestic barns with handsome silos and smaller-looking two-story houses with glass handles on their doors,
all on rolling roads through soft hills left by melting glaciers before anyone was around to see it, much less paint it.

Snow Farm 3, Oil on Canvas, 12×16, in looser style yet. All intended for desired effect.

Did I notice how incredibly beautiful it is? Did anybody say it?
Between ages 5 and 12, that’s when snow was only fun,
not work and inconvenience.
And the cold? It was just something you dress for, with layers and lining, and muffs and scarfs and boots.

Snow Farm 4, Oil on Panel, 11×14, (alt. title: “Frosted Cake with Candles”).

I have wondered, on going back now, how it was anyone settled these places. They must have got their houses up fast, in the summer, before they even knew the hard winds would be blowing and the temperatures dropping and spring such a long time in coming.

Snow Farm 5, Oil on Canvas, 18×36, actually a much larger piece than the others shown here, and all the more “abstract.”

But these are all perspectives from an outsider now, a softie, long removed to warmer climes. The photos were taken through a windshield. The paintings made in back-home studio. But they were wonderfully fun to make, and I hope, to look at. I could paint many more, as I have the photos. Finding new owners for some of these first would provide the motivation. Which is why I couldn’t resist the following shot.

Artist in Window, Grand Rapids, Minnesota, Dec. 25, 2008, with not unintended subliminal advertising.

This is me on Christmas day, braving elements for an afternoon walk with Anne. We came across this fine little art and frame shop across from a bakery. The temperature was zero. We suddenly remembered a phone call we’d planned to make, a Christmas-day greeting to daughter Allison in England, multiple time-zones away. We ducked into the doorway to get out of the wind and with a click on the i-phone we were connected. After that I saw the sign, high on the door window (mirror?) and knew I had to have the picture. It seems quaint, maybe even quirky if it weren’t so well done. It’s not something the bakery across the way would think they needed, like, “Buy Bread.” Bread will be bought, regardless. Art, however, is another thing.
Even if, for the soul, just as necessary.

When your soul gets to craving, let us know.
(And no need to wait for Christmas.)

Until next time.
Hyatt, and for Anne, your friends in the arts

Upcoming Shows, Teaching, and Workshops

Sandstone Gallery
March 4-30
Anne will be featured at the Laguna Beach gallery with a show of her monotypes. Artist’s reception March 5, 6-9 pm. More information at www.sandstonegallery.com.

Spring Studio Show
March 7-8
Once again, we will open our house/studio to friends and all for a display of recent work. This will be a pre-showing of pieces going just the following week to the prestigious La Quinta show. Mark your calendar.

La Quinta Show
March 12-15
Anne and I have each been juried into this show in the desert. We’d long heard about it, and last year visited it. Details can be found at www.lqaf.com.

“Loosen Up” Workshop
The recent workshop in San Clemente, California for a dozen artists was very well received. Another is scheduled for March 21-22. Click here for details.

Semi-Private Art Coaching for Painters
Monday in Dana Point
Call for your two-hour slot, 949-290-8643

Printmaking Classes by appointment, same phone number.

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It’s the first of another year. It’s a time for “out with the old” and “in with the new.”  December 31st had me  throwing out some 25 paintings that never were going to make it to any self-respecting wall. (Last year at this time I threw out 75!) Then, on January 1st, I took half a dozen pieces that still had a chance and hit them again. They’re much happier now, as will be their potential walls.

Rainy Window, 16.5×22, Click on pictures for pricing and on the resulting picture for larger views

In the meantime, new ideas and new directions keep finding their way onto our path. One such recently for me was what I’ll call “Works on Paper.” Actually this is nothing new for Anne, whose works are always on paper. My work, more traditionally has been on canvas or Masonite panel.  But I’m finding that acrylic paint on good, heavy, slightly textured paper makes for a very nice combination. There’s nothing new about it; it’s how watercolors are done all the time. And acrylic is water-based, so there’s no worry about the deteriorating effect that oil based paint can have on paper. By the way, Anne uses water-soluble inks for her print-making so there’s the same archival precaution.

Rainy Window was one of a pair I did (appropriately) after a trip to England. The other sold quickly; this one still enjoys a place on our walls. This month it’s doing further service as cover on the advertising for an upcoming artists workshop that I’m teaching. It’s called “Loosen Up,” and will be held the weekend of the 17th, this month, in San Clemente. Click the link for further details. By the way, though the cover painting is of a person, painters at the workshop will be doing whatever subject matter they like. (Some are wary of painting people . . . especially staring right at you like that.)

Exit Sign, 16×16

Here’s another for the “Women from the Back” series, this one on her cell phone, her mind in another place, but her feet planted just outside a green mesh fence of a temporary construction zone. As I look at it now, it could be the same girl as the one in Rainy Window, in a different season, but it’s not.

India in New York, 22×16.5

Just to prove there’s no particular preference to “from the back” images, here’s a frontal view. It’s a “mood piece,” (but then, all paintings should have mood) of a woman from India, transplanted to a New York apartment, and nowhere near being used to it.

Lamp Shadows, 13×19

A still life works just as well with this acrylic on paper medium. This one, with its abstract elements, is from a photo I took on an early morning in our home. The side rays of brilliant light blast out the detail on one side and cast some very interesting wall shadows on the other.

Lavender Lovely, 15.5×18

Another mood. We can make up our own story about this one. Maybe she’s a New Yorker in New York. Maybe the doorbell just rang and she’s ready to go, but then finding it best to stay in for awhile. Maybe it’s raining out and inside it’s so cozy and there’s no rush anyway. “Here” is almost always the best place to be.

Painting a Wall, 13.5×19

And while we’re inside, we can grab a palette, put on some painting clothes, and paint right on the wall. I was going to call this one “The Great Wall of China,” but that name’s already been taken.

Stop Sign, 16.5×22

Back outside, with no rain in sight, class over, heading for the car parked somewhere beyond the trees. It’s a scene of “in between,” another place we often are.

Yellow Sign, 11×16.5

Here we are on the beach in San Clemente last summer. I was painting the pier to the left, which was sitting still, unlike what this fog bather might do at any moment as she waited for the sky to clear. The sign was for surfers, dividing them from swimmers. Curious how three of the eight paintings shown here have signs in them. Directions for the new year? In any case, we close with this nice beach shot to wish you warmth through your winter.

Upcoming Events

Art Coaching for Painters resumes Monday, January 5 in Dana Point
Call for your two-hour slot, 949-290-8643

Also, Printmaking Classes by appointment, same phone number.

Show Closing Reception and Talents Talk
January 10, 4:00 pm
CrossWalk Church
10421 Corporate Drive
Redlands, California 92374
909-796-3000

“Loosen Up” Workshop for Painters (Click for more details)
January 17-18
San Clemente Center for the Arts
1531 N. El Camino Real
San Clemente, California 92672
949-369-6603

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It really has nothing to do with the present state of the economy, but lately I’ve been investing in gold. That is, “gold leaf,” and imitation gold leaf at that. I’ve long known about it, but not until recently put it to use. Over the centuries it was a medium of choice for the high craft of iconography in the Russian Orthodox Church, for example. Or, the German genius Gustav Klimpt used it with high creativity in his classic, “The Kiss,” and others of the like. My approach is different, less precise, more “painterly,” but resulting in some very pleasing images that stand out from a wall like nothing else.

Bedouin Gold, Mixed Media on Canvas, 24×48

The example above, Bedouin Gold, is a combination of a number of experiments. Besides the gold there are subtle design patterns behind, top and bottom. These come straight from Anne’s printmaking. She hand carved designs on linoleum blocks and has made multiple uses of them in various of her works. I’ve found her stack of such a valuable resource. They take paint as well as ink, and she’s happy to see them used in other media, so why not? It all makes for another uniqueness that comes from the efforts of not just one artist but the combination of two. (And check the small, Golden Browns, left.)

Golden Gossamer, Mixed Media on Canvas, 24×18

Golden Gossamer started out almost completely gold, again on a ground of repetitious block pattern ever so subtle in the background. Then big areas of the gold were buried because, well, that’s sometimes what you do with gold. Viewing this one somebody said, “It’s so delicious you could eat it.” I’ll take that. The colors fairly shimmer, and change with the light of day.

By the way, these little thumbnails at the side are full-size paintings too . . . like Flamenco Patterns at left with the gold in the background instead of on the dress. Click on all of these for a larger view and the details.

Golden Moment, Mixed Media on Canvas, 30×22

Golden Moment (above), takes on a little more formal approach. Actually the leaf used here wasn’t just gold, but a variegated mix of gold and copper. With the free strokes of red oil over the acrylic background of burgundy and a face just detailed enough, it’s something one can look at for a long time. That’s what one couple decided when they bought it almost before the paint was dry. Meantime, the man in Golden Gray (left) thinks and waits. The “blur” on the left of his chest isn’t really there; rather it’s the kind of phenomenon that happens in different light with this gold.

Golden Redhead, Mixed Media on Panel, 14×11

The leaf goes on in a painterly fashion. It’s a kind of “foil,” applied with contact cement, which needs to dry an hour first. Sometimes the glue goes down before the drawing, before any painting. It’s applied with a brush, sort of scribbled in, before I really know what will happen next. Then it’s the leaf itself, which comes in sheets, as delicate as a breeze. As it hits the tack of the glue it’s fixed in place. After that it’s dry-brush work burnishing in and getting rid of the dross. Gold bits go flying everywhere. Quite a mess. Life should be such a problem, no? (Left, Golden Turtleneck.)

Masai Gold, Mixed Media on Canvas, 24×18

Painted from a photo taken by friend and master photographer, Michael Good, Masai Gold is my rendition after discovering gold leaf. There’s no such where they live, in the heart of Kenya somewhere, but if they had it they’d likely use it, loving beauty and decoration as they do. At the moment, this one sits against the hearth at our house, holding forth over the room. As the sun goes down, the gold comes out until finally it’s all you see. It’s like there’s a life within. Golden Renaissance (left) is another where the gold came first, and found its purpose with the girl in the renaissance hat.

Well Women, Mixed Media on Canvas, 60×48

Painted over another painting I never really liked, Well Women was finished some time before the gold was applied. A study in mono-chromes anyway, the gold can be hard to pick out. But again, as the light changes, the tiny highlights appear. Do you see them? They’re on the bracelet and ring. This one’s life size, full of texture, hearty yet delicate, like the women themselves, having the strength they need, yet the flowing gait of beauty wending over hard ground. At left is Kimono Trio, already featured in an e-gallery (Oct. 13, 2008), but belonging here again, what with its abundant use of gold leaf.

Contacts Welcome

All these are nice paintings looking for a good home. Anyone interested is welcome to contact us directly, as none of these are yet in a gallery. It might occur to you where these pieces, and their kind, might belong. So, as this blog is interactive, feel free to make suggestions. Or feel free to forward this to someone who might be interested in one, or the series, or a whole line to come. A river needs flow if it’s truly going to water the earth. All help will be welcome and accepted with gratitude.

(949) 240-4642 (California time)

www.hyattmoore.com

www.annesprints.com

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It’s become an annual event. Once a year we open our house and studio to all for a weekend of art. In a sense it’s an inventory sale, if art should be so categorized. Should material that gives such personal pleasure and have the potential of appreciating in value be called “inventory”? Would Sotheby’s call it that? Not likely. But it has to do with the abundance on hand, the momentarily discounted prices, and the desire to help more people own art that is uniquely one of a kind. And there are a number of new pieces, never seen before. Here are the details:

November 8-9, 2008

Saturday, 4:00 ’til 10:00

Sunday, 1:00 ’til 5:00

33752 Big Sur, Dana Point, California

Phone 949-240-4642

For a more formal announcement (in two versions) click the following.

house-show-1008-h

house-show-1108-a

Being a special sale, all original art will be discounted 30 to 75 percent.

For those who can’t make it due to distance, shopping through the websites is welcome. The discounts will be honored through the weekend. Call or e-mail for exact prices on specific pieces. In the Hyatt Moore website, shop only in the Hyatt Moore Gallery. On the Anne Moore site, shop the whole Anne Moore Gallery, except “Collections,” where the pieces shown are already sold. Again, call or e-mail for prices.

Come if you can, and invite your friends. You’ll be glad. (And so will we.)

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Commissions have been in focus these last several months, keeping me occupied and us in food and shelter. Of those commissions, a good number have been portraits. Portraits: always the most challenging of paintings. Many painters won’t attempt them. But why the challenge, you ask, when you paint people so prolifically? Yes, I answer, but painting people as “personality studies” is different than people as “paying patrons.” It can be a different frame of mind. Confidence and boldness is replaced by timidity and inhibition. In the one case the model is anonymous, one who will never see the resultant painting; in the other (s)he will, as well as a host of relatives and friends, with their analysis of whether the mouth is just right or, or, or. Many fine painters have done their poorest work when they’ve come to portraits.

Grandchildren and Friends, Oil on Canvas, 36×48. Each individual painting can be viewed larger by clicking here, and scrolling down to Scott and Carolyn McOwen.

It was one Scott McOwen of San Clemente, California who first talked me into doing a portrait of his wife and granddaughter in the same painting, many years ago. I was reluctant, but in fact pulled it off adequately. Recently, after some six years, he contacted me again, now with more grandchildren and grand ideas. He said that of all the artwork they own, that portrait is the most meaningful. Now he wanted a painting with his six grandchildren as well as six children from other parts of the world where he has philanthropic involvement. “That will be a challenge,” I said, “I don’t know if I can do it,” to which he responded, “That’s what you said last time.” In the end we came up with the best way to approach it: 12 individual paintings on 12″x12″ canvases, which can be hung together, in any checkerboard that looks good, or separated. Moreover, the collection can be added to as children increase, either in the family, or the international involvement. The above is the result, at least in one of the ways it can be presented.

Emma, Oil on Canvas, 12×12

Another thing you might not know if you’re not a painter is that children can be the most challenging to paint. Old people with a lot of wrinkles and facial landscape are a whole lot easier. With smooth skin the nuances are much more subtle, and if you’re not careful you can get all hung up in “likeness” and forget about making a nice piece of art. (Besides, with old people, their parents aren’t around to judge.)

Claire, Oil on Canvas, 12×12

And of children, babies can be the most challenging. It’s for this I was happy that the McOwen family was so pleased with the result. As it happens, the McOwens have requested canvas prints so all of the families represented have their particular set. It’s been a happy solution all around. 

Solzhenitsyn, Oil on Canvas, 12×9

Here we have a portrait, but not commissioned. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn didn’t even know me, but after reading so much of his material I felt I knew him. Besides, his face was a landscape! How many hours did I spend reading his Gulag Archipelago, his Cancer Ward, his essays and speeches, and a full biography of his life? He was a giant of a man and Time Magazine should have commissioned me to paint his picture for a cover, if they knew me, or if they still used paintings on their covers. (But if they had I might have frozen up and painted something smooth and wooden.) As it was, a buyer came to our show at the house last year and picked this one up for a good price.

Miles Davis, Oil on Panel, 12×12. Click on image for price info and larger view.

Speaking of people I know but who never knew me, here’s one of my friend Miles Davis. Well, at least we’ve spent many an evening together over the years. I had to search awhile to find a photo of him not playing his horn. I didn’t want an icon, I wanted just the man. This one I still have (just in case Time is ever interested).

Mechelle and Beau, Oil on Canvas, 18×18

Okay, we’re stretching things again when we define what constitutes a portrait. In this case I know the woman, not the man. More to the point, I know Mechelle’s parents, who commissioned the painting and gave it as a wedding present. The moment is their engagement, from a photo taken on a camera phone by on-lookers who were privy to the surprise. Once again, it’s a challenge between mechanical “likeness” and art. In this case, it’s the story as much as anything, with a definite center of focus.

Judy Stoner, Oil on Canvas, 11×14

Speaking of paintings done for love, here’s one commissioned by a happy husband of his beautiful wife as a present to her for him to hang on his wall. Did you follow that? It was a surprise gift to her, but for him. Her part was to choose the frame. I’m told she was very moved, said that no one had ever thought to do such a thing for her (and he was glad to hear that). Now it adorns his office for many to admire, particularly him. 

Kimono Trio, Mixed Media, 36×36. Click on image for price info and larger view.

Finally, and once again it’s a question whether this constitutes a portrait, here’s a piece from a photo I took in Japan. We were there early this month, visiting our son and his family. He does cryptology for the Navy (and that’s all he can tell me). Anne and I spent an enjoyable two weeks, admiring the place and the people. The above was from a chance encounter of three who were trying out the kimono look for the day. What this rendition doesn’t reveal very well is the abundant use of gold leaf, on the clothing and even sparkles in the hair. Would I have the boldness to do that on a commissioned piece? (Maybe, if the client set me loose.) In a future e-gallery we’ll share more pieces with gold leaf addition. It can take art into a whole new visual appreciation, particularly in certain light.

Upcoming Show

I mentioned the annual “show at the house.” It’s something of an “inventory sale” with some very good prices for very good art (of course). The date is coming up. Consider yourself invited. Here are the details:
Saturday, Nov. 8 (4:00-10:00) and Sunday, Nov. 9 (1:00-5:00)
Hyatt and Anne Moore Studio/Gallery
33752 Big Sur Dana Point, California 92629
(949) 240-4642

About Getting a Portrait

Anyone interested in a portrait, for themselves or as a gift (or a gift to selves), or a commission of any kind, feel free to contact us. There’s time to have one for the holidays. Then there are birthdays, or anniversaries, or even engagements!  Of course, any time a portrait is presented makes its own holiday. For more examples, see the website under Collectors/Personal and scroll around. The portraits are labeled for easy browsing. Contact us at moore@hyattmoore.com.

Facebook

As a Post Script, I’ll just mention that I now have a Facebook account. It’s put us in touch with a lot of old friends. If you have such an account and want to include us as friends, you’ll know how to do it. (At least I think you will; I’m not sure myself yet.)

Websites

As usual, both Anne’s and my work is viewable on our websites at www.hyattmoore.com and www.annesprints.com. Feel free to visit. And feel free to jot a note here.

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