When I first started painting, almost 20 years ago, it was natural that my early subject matter was dominated with “ethnic” people. At that time Anne and I were still working with an organization dedicated to serving these people. We had what you might call a full career with Wycliffe Bible Translators, 32 years, raising our family in four different countries, traveling to scores more, and working in multiple capacities. None of those was as “a painter,” however, until toward the end when that spirit took over and sent me in new directions.

Full color, 122 pages, handsome format, and at 8″x8, unpretentiously small. Order here.

Not only did I make paintings of these people early, I’ve continued to, at least sporadically, right through the present. It’s for this I’ve created a book specifically dedicated to my paintings of this genre. The following are some examples of page spreads.

Click on any of these images for an enlarged view.

My first idea was to create a catalogue of work still available, but it soon became something of a retrospective, including the likes of the two above, the one on the left now in a collection in Seattle, and the one on the right, at Biola University in La Mirada, California.

The book lists which pieces are no longer available. Approximately half still are, like the two shown above. (All in the book are available in custom print form, as described here.)

For these I always use photo reference, sometimes those I’ve taken, or found, or sometimes sent to me by friends . . . like the two above.

These from Guatemala were from photos I took. We lived there in the early 70s (our second child was born there) and have been back a couple of times since.

I’ve not been to India but I love their fearlessness of color. Throughout the book the captions include the date painted and the size. Both of these were in 2008; the one on the left is five feet tall, the one on the right, 12 inches.

These are from photos I took on Mfangano Island, Lake Victoria, Kenya. I was there in 2005 making paintings for an AIDS orphanage, for which the paintings raised some funds.

These are from more from photos of my own taking, in Masai Mara, Kenya. I still have a shield and spear from these guys, here watching their cattle.

Over the years I’ve done a lot of these life-size “standing portraits,” both women and men. Many are now in various collections, either in groups or as singles. Eighteen of them are in the book.

In all, 128 paintings are displayed. That’s not the total number I’ve done of this subject, but those that would fit without crowding on the 122 pages.

My days as a graphic designer (Art Director at Surfer Magazine, etc., many years ago) instilled sensitivities for handsome book design . . . color harmonies across spreads, subject matter arranged to makes sense and the liberal use of white space. It all matters.

The book’s text is minimal; it’s intended as an art book. The pictures tell the story. The purpose from the beginning is to honor these people. Though they’re fairly hidden and generally forgotten, they’re our neighbors on the earth. They are gems. Usually very poor, they can dress like they’re rich. They live right down in the dirt of the earth. But that’s where gems are found.

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Buy the book, and let your eyes rest long on every page.

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People of the Earth

Click here for ordering information

$24.95
Shipping free within the USA and Canada
(others please inquire)

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Ongoing and Upcoming Events

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Fall Studio Show Coming Up

Save the dates, December 6 and 7, 2014

For more info, click here: House Show 12’14-web

Next Trip

As of next week we will be in Jericho and Israel for two weeks. The last week is a tour, for the first we’ll be with a group building a playground for a Palestinian boys school. They want me to paint pictures. Time will tell of what.

Semi-Private Coaching for Painters

Offering two-hour sessions on Mondays and on Saturday mornings
In the Hyatt Moore Studio, Dana Point
Call  949-240-4642

Printmaking Classes

Two-hour sessions in the Anne Moore studio, Dana Point
Call or email for more information or to schedule a class
anne@hyattmoore.com
949-240-4642