Hyatt Moore at Biola University

Moore's mural "Feeding the Three Thousand" on display at Biola University

The “Year of the Arts” has invaded Biola and the university library is not exempt. Dotted with sculptures, paintings and photographs, a building usually confined to the silver color of Macs and brown pages of books is splashed with color from top to bottom. Paintings by famous artist Thomas Kinkade line the stairwells and the Thomas Macklin Bible—the largest English Bible in the world—is displayed on the main level. Upon entering the upper level of the library, several large paintings grasp your attention. These are the work of painter Hyatt Moore.

Moore’s paintings focus on people of all races, backgrounds and time periods. Several of his paintings line the walls of the library, portraits and still life especially. His paintings are not intricate or particularly detailed. His art is not noticed because of its realism or minute brushstrokes, but for the bold colors and the vivid vision in each of his pieces. There is life in his work.

Moore's paintings can be seen on all levels of the library

One mural in particular stands out from the rest, titled “Feeding the Three Thousand.” Drawing from the Biblical account of Jesus feeding His many followers, the painting shows missionaries of many races giving Scripture rolls to the thousands. The “three-thousand” aspect of the mural is the number of peoples in the world who are without written words. The expressions on the faces of the people are vague, the details of location and time unknown, but Moore makes his message clear: those with the written word must venture to those who do not. The colors of his art grab your attention but it is the concept and symbolism of the art that make you appreciate the mural itself.

Another such art piece available in the library is “The Last Supper with Twelve Tribes.” Deriving off Leonardo DaVinci’s beautiful masterpiece, Moore’s interpretation replaces the 12 disciples with 12 nationalities with Jesus Christ as the center. Moore enhances the differences between races with detail to clothing, skin tone and facial features. The acrylic painting is a tribute to the diversity of the world, with no one man standing out above the rest, all eyes focused on Christ, the only figure in bold red. It is a mural that makes you look twice. It is a familiar scene with a different meaning. His art makes you ask why.

Moore’s murals and paintings aren’t just pretty things to admire. They make you pause, stare into the eyes of a portrait or stop and find the meaning in a mural. Though the humans in his portraits aren’t realistic they are lifelike. The eyes of the woman in “Happy Mother” draws you in, the bold brushstrokes of “Two Writers” gives one a sense of appreciation for the simplistic picture of learning. Moore’s artwork is beautiful because it captures the essence of a human soul: life.

Conv Prod: "You First" Opens at the OCCCA

Hidden in a corner of downtown Santa Ana is a neighborhood called the “Artist Village.” Galleries and street art abound and visitors spend quite a bit of time exploring the passageways and staircases of the various buildings. On the corner of 2nd Street and Sycamore Ave sits OCCCA—The Orange County Center of Contemporary Art. A new exhibition entitled “You First” debuted this Saturday with over 50 attractions on display.



Based on the concept of “Relational Aesthetics,” many art pieces are designed to be interactive. One display titled “Identity Tapestry” by Mary March fills an entire wall with over 150 statements such as “I am creative” or “I can’t trust people” tacked onto the wall. Viewers pick up a ball of yarn from a basket and loop the string around statements they identify with. Although there are over fifty yarns to choose from, no color is exactly the same. The result is a colorful mish-mash of links between statements, each piece of yarn unique in itself, yet united. “I wanted to take little parts of people’s lives and string them together,” March said.

A lyrical dance show, a disc jockey and the steady clinking of wine glasses promises an artsy, upbeat and casual evening. Artwork ranges from paintings to film documentaries, photojournalism to sculptures; diversity is not a problem. Like the pieces themselves, the artists come from around the world, expanding from local Orange County to London and other parts of the United Kingdom. An artist from the Ukraine demonstrates his artistry through a musical interactive piece. Still another man exhibits his love of dance and music through a Soul Train display.

A family friendly event, free to the public and right in the middle of quaint restaurants and other unique galleries, the OCCCA gallery is a great place to take a date, a group of friends or hit up for an art assignment.
More information on “You First” can be found on the OCCCA website www.occca.org.