Whether it’s the light filtering through a cathedral-like aspen grove or a garden in a suburban backyard, Robert Moore sees the divine in the world around him. His forthcoming show at Manitou Galleries in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Nature’s Testimony, is a subtle way of paying tribute.
Autumn’s Testimony, oil, 48 x 60”
“Hopefully I caught part of that—the essence of those landscapes and the beauty there—and communicated it to where somebody having a hard day can look at the painting and just have a little bit of relief and a little bit of peace drawn from the painting,” says Moore.
“He is a pretty quiet and contemplative individual, and also very humble,” says Manitou associate director Cyndi Hall. “That’s one of the things that attracted us to his work.” Hall praises Moore’s handling of light in his landscape On the Ridge and his ability to find “majesty in the everyday” in works like his hollyhock painting On Display.
Fresh Snow, oil, 30 x 40”
Based outside of Burley, Idaho, Moore is known for his blocky, chroma-rich compositions and unorthodox paint application. “My process requires that I paint horizontally because I squirt the paint out from caulking tubes onto a horizontal surface. Then I work those colors in those chords onto a simple, clear design,” says Moore, using a musical analogy to break down his color theory.
“What I’ve found over the decades of painting is that the beauty, to me, is not playing Beethoven with one finger—where you might have the melody correct. But it is much richer when you use chords along with that correct melody note. So it’s the same thing with color where there will be an overall tonic hue,” he says, noting the richness and harmony in the striations of color within each “chord.”
On Display, oil, 48 x 36”
Being colorblind presents an interesting challenge for Moore, who has developed a systematic approach to painting, tapping apprentices to organize his palette and help keep track of newly mixed hues. He also credits the seven consecutive terms studying under Dan McCaw at ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena for helping him understand color relationships and simple, beautiful design.
Now a mentor in his own right, Moore’s influence radiates throughout the art world, with his knowledge passed on to artists like Caleb Meyer and Aaron Hazel, who both spent time assisting Moore early in their own careers. With Hazel and Moore both making their way to the Manitou artist roster, perhaps things have come full circle.
On the Ridge, oil, 48 x 36”
Nature’s Testimony will be Moore’s first show with Manitou and Hall says that when his previous Santa Fe dealer retired, they “jumped on the opportunity” to be able to represent him and share his work with their collectors. “We’re just super excited to have him here,” she says, calling his new body of work “phenomenal.” Having all of Moore’s work in one space is going to “knock your socks off,” she adds.
Nature’s Testimony will be on view at Manitou Galleries in downtown Santa Fe from July 7 to 17, with an artist’s reception on July 7. —
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