Here’s an amusement that came out of the blue the other day. This person, “Matt,” apparently located me on an internet search. The following brief comments were each a separate e-mail coming at intervals. I’ll put his in blue. The (non)punctuation is his own. Who knows, maybe Matt will be a famous art collector some day, or already is one?
I found a painting of two children that was signed hyatt moore 64′ on canvas I was wondering if this sounds like your work and if you would like to see it
A 64 ft. canvas with two children signed with both my names? Sounds interesting. Where is it? Sure, show it to me.
its not 64ft I think its from 1964 I will take a picture of it
here is the piece I emailed you about I was wondering if it was your work thank you
I did paint it! In another lifetime. How did you come across it?
I will be honest I rescued it from a trash can
what do you think the value would be is it some thing you would like to have back
You must have retrieved it from Palos Verdes. I painted it in 1964, though I couldn’t have told you the year if the painting didn’t say it. [It was signed and dated on the back; he sent a photo of that too.] I was working as a fry cook at the Palos Verdes Fountain, now long gone, in the Palos Verdes Plaza. A woman customer overheard that I did some painting. I think she had money, lived on the hill, was the wife of the Midas Muffler magnate (though I may have that wrong) and said she liked to give young artists a chance. I think she wanted to save money. She had these two daughters and supplied their photo. Or did I take it? She said she wanted a Rembrandt look. I said, “What’s that?” She said that the figures came out of dark backgrounds.
I can still hardly believe that I never looked up a Rembrandt at that time or the painting would have come out a lot different. Maybe. In any case, I took it seriously and worked hard at it, figuring she’d like it when I finally presented it. She didn’t. And that was the end of it. I rather quit painting. Or at least I didn’t continue with any confidence.
I was never going to anyway, it being a side line interest. My “career” finally began with fits and starts and went far afield, starting with art-related things and then broadening. If you’re curious, a cursory resume is on my website under “About the Artist.” In my mid-50’s painting returned in a big way and now I am a painter, full time.
Seems I came across that painting some time back at my parents’ where they still live (now ages 94 and 96) in their same house in Palos Verdes. I saw the damage that had happened to it over the years, but the rest was pretty much how I saw it last. I didn’t know what to make of it or do with it. No doubt it’d been in the garage and the caregiver threw it out; my parents wouldn’t have. Not only would they be sentimental about such things, but they are pretty much immobile these days.
Do I want it back? No. Is it worth anything? No. Not unless you can locate Mrs. Midas and find out if she’s had a change of mind.
Then again, I could become famous someday, not likely during my lifetime, and then it would be a relic of “early work” and go up in value as the centuries wear on.
Curious what you think you’ll do with it . . . and where you’re writing from.
well i’m writing from laguna Niguel and that is where I found the painting it was in an apartment dumpster as for what ill do with it ill just hold on to it I like the story that is tied to it if you change your mind about wanting it back drop me a line I would be happy to give it back to its rightful owner if not you can be sure it will not end up in the trash again thank you for your time
That was the end of the correspondence. It’s still a mystery to me how the painting wound up in a dumpster some 40 miles from its point of origin. Who knows where others pieces of mine might end up (as the centuries wear on)?
Meantime, keep checking galleries, and dumpsters.
Our Lives Together
Its About Life
9:55 am
Hyatt,
Can’t believe Mrs. Midas didn’t like it. It seems to catch a couple of faces that are downright cherubic!
One person’s trash, another’s treasure, I guess.
10:01 am
What a great story! I love the painting. I can’t imagine why Mrs. Midas did not. Your talent shone through back then too. The owner is wise to keep it. It may be very valuable someday as one of your “early works.”
10:11 am
I can see Matt taking it on Antiques Roadshow and learning from the art curator that he has in his possesion an “early H. Moore”! Great story.
10:14 am
Love this story, Hyatt. It reminds me of a similar one from my family…
My paternal Grandfather took to oil painting after retirement in Phoenix and was very prolific from the mid 60s through the 80s. He was self-taught and quite good (especially considering he was legally blind in one eye and color blind in the other), but the paintings themselves never made it outside the communal boundaries of loved ones – or so we thought.
Nearly two decades after Grandpa’s death, my uncle was on a cross-country motorcycle trip and spotted a strangely familiar desert landscape painting at a garage sale in a small town in Arkansas. He offered $2 for the $10 “original oil” and continued on his journey with a piece of his dad strapped to his back.
11:28 am
Ah, then one CAN carry art on a motorcycle. I’ll have more to say on this in a future post.
10:29 am
I’ll take some Hyatt Moore “trash” anyday!
Pastor Adam Barton
Akron, Ohio
10:57 am
A funny story that is actually encouraging in a way to a fellow on-again, off-again painter. I guess the message may be to never say “never” and to keep on keeping on.. :-)
10:59 am
Hyatt, First thought……..YOU ARE ALREADY FAMOUS!!
What a nice person he is to go to the trouble of finding
you. So thoughtful!
You were a huge talent even in 1964!
Barbara Mitchiner
11:22 am
The eyes on the little girl are especially beautiful. This is a really good story. You are blessed to have so many who readily read and enjoy your stories. This ability to engage others in what you have to share is also just one of your talents. Thank you.
12:21 pm
I love the painting. Incredible story. Also, I’ve had fountain sodas where you worked. My friend’s Mother, who lived next door to me in Lomita, also worked there as a counter waitress. Helen Michelak. She may have been gone by 1964.
12:42 pm
Her name sound familiar, though we didn’t go by last names, or even necessarily full first names. I went by “Hy.” (We would have used her full first name, however:-)
12:37 pm
First! Loved Palos Verdes! Did not ever know there was a Palos Verdes Fountain there! Fun! Or that you worked there. Interesting! Then what a great person to contact you! WOW! AND I agree! YOU ARE FAMOUS!!! You should have told him that! :) And last, the little girl is lovely in that picture! Love her! Oh, and Hyatt, you have such a great dry sense of humor! Your responses made me laugh! You always make us laugh and learn! Love to all! Lisa
12:43 pm
What anamazing story. Rather shocking that someone would trash that painting…but i do know that one man’s junk is another man’s treasure……”proven at many garage sales. I have a sister who finds many treasures at garage sales. She thrives on ‘the hunt’.
Love your posts Hyatt…….
2:32 pm
Wow. These little girls would now be women over the age of 50 and would most likely love to have this. It is valuable for a number of reasons…an oil of them by you – the Midas touch!
3:01 pm
Beats the portrait my parents had done of me at Disneyland in the early 60’s. At least you might have gotten it right, I always thought the guy painted one ear grossly larger than the other. And to think you weren’t that far away!
5:28 pm
I don’t know why, but I found this post hilarious…love your humor Hyatt. I’m imagining Matt with thumbs flying while pounding out this email. No time for silly, unnecessary punctuation. What will happen to language 20 years from now?
PS.. I agree with Betty. I’ll (and I’m not ill) bet those girls would LOVE to have their painting. Gee, if they just had a room with a 64′ wall :)
6:50 pm
Cute! The Lord’s little way of keeping true “Genius” humble. Believe me Hyatt, if he weren’t going to keep it, I’d grab it in a heartbeat!
6:44 am
Hyatt, perhaps the most treasured item I own is an absolutely, stunningly beautiful oil painted angel by none other than Hyatt Moore. It is treasured because of our personal attachment. Absolutely no way is it ever ever going to end up in a dumpster! Neither is the large print of The Lord’s Supper. I must, however, confess to not yet having a wall big enough for that. It’d mains safe and treasured. It’s still admired by many when I roll it out on the floor with pride, affection and excitement. Sometimes we lose the excitement if we see things every day.
9:42 pm
Great story Hyatt. I’ll bet the girls would pay big bucks for that print. I agree it is a great painting.
Thanks for sharing.
11:53 am
I love it! And if he doesn’t want it…I will take it :) Having an early Hyatt Moore would be amazing. Lucky guy!
Thanks for sharing this wonderful story. As a novice painter it is an inspiring one.