We recently had the chance to connect with Jay Moore and have shared our conversation below.
Jay, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
A week ago my sons took me floating and fly fishing down the Blue River. I love being on the water, especially on a warm day with the leaves bright yellow and the sky deep blue. Fly fishing is something that has been a passion for me since I was a little boy. But spending time with Wyatt and Luke all day especially now that they are in their mid-20s meant a lot to me, and was a memory that will carry me for a while…My wife was there to shuttle us, so to have us all there completed a perfect day.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Growing up in the mountains of Colorado, I have a deep connection and love of the outdoors. My brother taught me survival skills, so I feel very comfortable catching fish, or sleeping under the stars. My other passion is art, specifically oil painting. About 30 years ago I merged these two into painting landscapes, and selling them at galleries. Over that time, I have had many solo shows and participated in museum exhibitions, but something was missing. I did not get to meet the people who purchased my work, or knew where my paintings would be displayed. So, in 2012 I opened my own gallery and studio in Downtown Parker, CO. Now I can not only meet the collectors of my work, but they become friends. This feedback cycle gives me more motivation to make my work better and better, and excitement for what kind of response the next painting will bring.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who taught you the most about work?
My parents taught me the most about work. My dad taught me how to provide, by leaving early in the morning, and would get home late working for decades as a bank executive, and my mom prepared breakfast and dinner, cleaned the house, did the laundry and shopping for a family of seven. We figured it out to be 15 years straight of kids in diapers, cloth diapers. Today, my siblings and I have a strong work ethic, they taught us well.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
When I first started painting landscapes and trying to sell them to make a living, I would go out and paint from dawn to dust in the hottest summer days and the coldest winter in the mountains. Sometimes I would paint when it was -20 degrees. Your hands would get so numb I couldn’t get my hand in my pocket to get my car keys out. Often, I would throw a sleeping bag on the ground because I couldn’t afford a hotel.
That taught me to fight through physical pain or discomfort to work toward your goal. It taught me to be tough, but at the same time, I became very connected to nature and the outdoors.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
I taught at the Art Student’s League of Denver for five years. On my last day, my students brought a cake that said something like,”You really know your values”. They told me it had a double meaning…First that I taught them how to paint in tonal ranges, and second, how important integrity is to me. I really appreciated that sentiment and have tried to live by it over the past 40 years of being a professional artist.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I feel I am doing what I was born to do. From a very young age I have always been drawing or sculpting. Right out of high school into art school, and painting every day since. I come from a family of bankers, and did work in a bank for a summer, but in the end, my parents let me follow my dream.
Contact Info:
- Website: jay@jaymoorestudio.com
- Instagram: Jay Moore
- Linkedin: Jay Moore
- Facebook: Jay Moore
- Youtube: Jay Moore
Image Credits
Photos of Jay Moore credit: Arron Colussi
