For the Love of Art

Booth Western Art Museum honors John and Terri Kelly Moyers with the Artist of Excellence Award at their annual gala and auction fundraiser.

On Saturday, February 18, 2023, Booth Western Art Museum will host the annual For the Love of Art Gala & Art Auction. As the largest annual fundraiser for the museum, the event will feature a variety of art, jewelry and more in both live and silent auction formats. Artist of Excellence Award recipients John and Terri Kelly MoyersThe highlight of the evening will be the presentation of the Booth Western Art Museum’s Artist of Excellence Award to John and Terri Kelly Moyers—the first time the museum has honored multiple artists.

Every year, the Booth selects an important artist in the museum’s permanent collection to to receive the award. John and Terri Moyers join a group of past winners that includes Martin Grelle, John Coleman, Howard Terpning, Glenna Goodacre and others.John Moyers, Enchanted Skies, oil, 18 x 24”John and Terri have been represented in the Booth’s permanent collection since the early 2000s. Together they have garnered the most prestigious accolades in Western art. John has been awarded Best in Show at the Cowboy Artists of America’s annual sale numerous times and is highly sought after by collectors. Terri has also won many major awards, most notably the 2012 Prix de West, capturing the highest honor in the genre—only the second woman to do so.

“John and Terri are both extremely accomplished artists and when we discussed giving the award to one or the other, it just didn’t feel right,” says Booth Museum executive director Seth Hopkins. “They are equally prominent in the Western art world so it made sense to give them the award together.”Terri Kelly Moyers, Prairie Breezes, oil, 24 x 18”

“It means a great deal to share this honor with my wife, Terri,” says John. “We have been married and painting together for over 40 years now and it’s been a great ride.”

Terri adds, “Of course it is very humbling and it is validation of a life devoted to art.”

Being artists and partners has added another dimension to their relationship. They were both heavily influenced by painter Robert Lougheed, who impressed upon them the importance of painting from life. “I think an artist should always paint what their influences and surroundings are,” says John. “Having grown up in New Mexico, of course I am attracted to painting Western subject matter.”Kevin Kehoe, White Dove Chapel, 2019, oil on linen, 20 x 30”Terri is also driven to paint by her amazement at the visual world around her. She says, “Living in the western part of Canada and the United States has definitely helped to inform my choice of subject matter, although parts of the country and the world I become equally fascinated by the history and look of a place and am compelled to paint it.”

When selecting a recipient for this award, the Booth looks for artists who are in a mature period of their career but still have many productive years ahead of them. “We want to recognize them for what they have accomplished while also looking to the future,” says Hopkins. “Maybe this award can further spur them to produce even greater work.” Chris Groves, The Gore Range, 2022, oil on linen, 24 x 56”The Booth Museum asks the artists they support to donate a mid-sized work every three years for the auction fundraiser. It is a way for established artists to give back to the institutions that support the Western art genre and provides up-and-upcoming artists the opportunity to expose their work to collectors and museum curators. Last year’s events raised more than $200,000 to support museum exhibitions, educational and enrichment programs through the auctions, sponsorships and ticket sales.

This year 70 lots—mostly art with some experience and gift packages—will be auctioned off throughout the weekend in three different sales. John Moyers, Proceeding with Caution, (detail), 2004, oil, 71 x 89”. © John Moyers (Booth Permanent Collection)

The Moyers will be donating works to the auction as will many other notable artists including Gordon Snidow, Josh Elliot, Grant Redden, Mian Situ, David Yorke, Star York and Deborah Copenhaver Fellows. A selection of donated works are pictured here as well as two pieces by the Moyers that are part of the Booth permanent collection.

The weekend kicks off on Friday, February 17, with Boots N’ Saddles, a fun, pre-gala event held at Booth’s sister museum, Savoy Automobile Museum. The evening consists of cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, live music, an artists’ quick draw and fixed draw miniatures sale.

Patrons can also learn more about the featured artists during a brunch with the Moyers on Saturday morning at Tabernacle Baptist Church, adjacent to Booth Museum. David Yorke, Homeward Bound, 2022, oil on linen, 30 x 20”The main event begins at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday with refreshments and a silent auction. Guests will have a chance to preview the items in the live auction which will take place in the ballroom over a gourmet meal. The Artist of Excellence Award will also be presented during the banquet.

“Between them they’re the most highly known people in Western art,” Hopkins says of the Moyers. “Separately, they are absolutely incredible artists in their own right—put them together and they’re a powerhouse.” —

For the Love of Art Gala & Art Auction
February 18, 2023
Booth Western Art Museum
501 N. Museum Drive
Cartersville, GA 30120
(770) 387-1300, www.boothmuseum.org/gala