“When are you going to paint your grandchildren?” That’s the question I often get from my father. I usually just say, “When I get good enough.” It does’t impress him much. He’s 94, living with my 92-year-old mother, and he’d try painting all his grands and great-grands himself if he had the energy. But this month, the time came, and I painted ours.
The three Cutsforth children, in from Minneapolis.
Click for larger view.
The occasion was a family reunion, a gathering of Anne’s and my five grown and married children and their children at a big rented house at Lake Tahoe, California. It was a wild and wonderful week, with plenty of noise, field trips, family reports, and enough space to get away when there was need.
The Bergin children, in from Chicago.
Every afternoon I got away for a few hours to surreptitiously paint these little 8×10 “portraits” off my i-phone, on which I’d taken photos of the children the first day. The photos themselves were hard enough to get, as the subjects would be moving constantly, or maybe transfixed, playing some video game.
The Moore children, in from Palo Alto, CA…another due in August.
There were 24 of us gathered, half of whom were children. All cousins, always a special relationship, particularly when gathered together so infrequently. Anne and I get around to see them, and they visit us, but it’s rare to be all together. By this summer two more will be with us, as two of the mothers are great with child.
The Schmidt children, in from Seattle…another due in July.
The family units shown here are in the order of our children, youngest to oldest. It’s not necessarily the order in which I painted them, having to do more with when a given family would be leaving or mode of transport. I was using oil with a drying-time-enhancer. I’d be slowed down when one wouldn’t come out and I’d have to do it again.
The Adams family, in from England, the oldest and youngest of the group.
I signed them all, even though the children don’t know me as “Hyatt.” To them I’m “Baba” (and Anne, “Tata”). And I dated them, something don’t don’t usually do, but this time the year would be significant. The ’11 could look like 111, and I am the third. Our son is the fourth, we’ve just been told Hyatt the fifth is coming!
Moore family reunion, June, 2011, Lake Tahoe, California. (As with all, click for larger view.)
Okay, here we are on a still-chilly mountain morning. Left to right it’s the Moores, Bergins, Moores senior, Cutsforths, Adams (standing) and Schmidts (seated). By now they’re all scattered back to their places, now enriched with small portraits to remember the stage. Anne and I, of course, are enriched just by being part of this growing group.
.
Ongoing and Upcoming Events
.
Via Affirmativa
In two weeks we’ll be in Glen Ere, Colorado speaking and painting (Anne will be printing) at the Via Affirmativa seminar. For info click here.
Adjacent to that I will also be conducting a “Loosen Up” Workshop at the Hunter-Wolff Gallery in Colorado Springs, June 23-24. For reservations, call: 719-520-9494.
Laguna Festival of Arts
Again this year Anne will be among those showing at this famous event. It’ll run from July 4 till August 30.
Moore & Moore Art Gallery in Dana Point
Open by Appointment
949-240-4642
Semi-Private Coaching for Painters
Offering 2-hour sessions on Mondays, and now also on Saturdays
in the Hyatt Moore Studio, Dana Point
Call 949-240-4642
Printmaking Classes
In the Anne Moore studio, Dana Point
Call for info: 949-240-4642
11:31 am
Wow, Hyatt, your next-gen quiver is full! Very cool.
11:33 am
It’s good to know your father was a painter. Be glad that you have the energy that he hasn’t. I’m only 74 and I don’t have the that energy.
But keep going, they’ll love you for it.
11:49 am
Hey thanks for sharing that – very inspirational. You and Anne are very blessed! V~
11:56 am
The family pic is amazing! What a wonderful group! So special for you to have precious time together. We love you all! The portraits are beautiful likenesses and brilliant treasured memories. Blessings Moore family!
11:56 am
What a beautiful family. You and Anne look so fulfilled.
11:59 am
Wow – what a great family! My first grandchild is 7 mos old and I am already getting the “when you going to paint him” routine too. Painting babies and children intimidates me – you just encouraged me. Thanks.
12:19 pm
This is truly a blessing. What a WONDERFUL family! Hyatt, you’re amazing to have painted these portraits of your darling grandchildren while at the family reunion. The photo of all of you is so special. Thank you for sharing all your photos.
12:31 pm
Thanks for sharing these! So glad you painted them. Loved the group photo, too. Beautiful family.
12:37 pm
Hyatt!
As always – words fail me as to the beauty of your paintings, your family, and your heart!!!!
Blessed to know you :) Are you doing Paint SC? Hope to see you there! I see Toni’s work everywhere now, such a talent as well.
Lora
12:53 pm
Very much enjoyed seeing your grandchildren. How lucky they are to have such talented grandparents.
Blessings,
Ursula
1:14 pm
Thank you for sharing…the pictures are beautiful!!!!
2:33 pm
What fun! The Lord has really blessed you!
2:40 pm
I always enjoy all your paintings. You are a wonder and so is Anne.
4:09 pm
Beautiful, Hyatt. What a wonderful occasion for you and Anne and all the rest, too.
4:13 pm
Indeed, a quiver full. Beautifully pointed with feeling and a soft touch. This gallery of young lives will live on forever…in your hearts and theirs.
4:54 pm
What a beautiful Family! Thank you for sharing these wondrous portraits.
5:25 pm
Wow, Hyatt….God has richly blessed you and Anne with such a beautiful family….We spent some time with Allison and family last night, it was so good to see them….Your paintings are amazing….
5:31 pm
WE love GLen Eyre..try to stay in the top room..so much wonderful ministry there!!
what a wonderful family!!
7:47 pm
Wonderful Family!!:) Great paintings of your grandchildren. They will enjoy these pieces for many years to come. Randy and I look forward to this some day with our four girls:)
8:52 pm
Hyatt and Anne,
So wonderful to see how God has blessed you both in such a wonderful way.
How are your Mom and Dad doing? I miss their e-mails. I will never forget your Mom being in our house back several years and she plugged in to our home phone and she was busy all the time keeping in touch with her family and friends.
Becky
12:43 am
Hyatt,
How telling these paintings and the family photo are that you and Anne savor the good of the earth. Thanks for sharing.
Jane Ice
11:12 am
How wonderful and how special those portraits are, Hyatt. Good for you for getting it done. You never know the next time you’ll be together like that again. Very nice!
12:01 pm
Absolutely FANTASTIC! Blessing on all of you. Think about you regularly. ken.
3:16 pm
Dear Hyatt, You did a wonderful job with your grandchildren. I have 8 and have painted them all, mostly with pastels. My husband thinks they are my very best work. You have a great family! Kay Hodges
8:50 pm
yea! Hyatt the V!!! wonderful paintings! You’re all invited for Thanksgiving…maybe we can buy the house next door…
11:10 am
Wow! Beautiful, growing family…amazing all that’s happened since we saw you two last!
6:54 pm
It just doesn’t get much better than this. Grand portraits (pun intended)!
1:29 pm
Loved the paintings. Beautiful family. So enjoy keeping in touch this way.
8:55 pm
Awesome! Love it. Thanks for sharing. You are very blessed to have such a large and connected family- What a great gift for them to cherish too. I am sure that each one will love the heritage it represents.
4:10 am
Great to see your growing family! What a joyous time together that must be. My father radiates whenever we have a family reunion like this. I bet you and Anne were bursting with pride and delight.
8:47 pm
Wow, nothing like family. A beautiful picture of happiness.
1:51 pm
Hello Hyatt and Anne, Great to see the amazing and wonderful pictures you did of your grand children. I can’t think of a single person who isn’t blessed by what you do! May your legacy and family continue to receive all that the Lord has wonderfully prepared for each of you.
6:10 am
Un joli portrait de famille on ressent de joie a le voir.
4:17 pm
Lovely to see your adult children, who I remember as kids, and now their offspring. You are indeed abundantly blessed, as are they.