Denver Moore
Denver was
born in rural Louisiana in January 1937, and after several
tragic events went to live on a plantation in Red River Parish
with his Uncle James and Aunt Ethel, who were share croppers.
Sometime around 1960, he hopped a freight train and began a life as a homeless drifter until 1966 when a judge awarded him a 10 year contract for hard labor at the Louisiana State School of Fools, aka, Angola Prison!
According to Denver, he went in a man and left a man and received a standing ovation from prisoners in the yard as he walked out of there in 1976. For the next 22 years he was homeless on the streets of Fort Worth, Texas. However, there were a few times after a brush with the law, he'd ride the rails visiting cities and hobo jungles across America, sampling regional cuisine like Vienna sausage with fellow passengers.
In 1998, "He never met Miss Debbie," Miss Debbie met him and his life was changed forever.
Today, he is the co-author of the book, “Same Kind of Different As Me” and “What Difference Do It Make?”, as well as an artist, public speaker, and volunteer for homeless causes. In 2006, as evidence of the complete turn around of his life, the citizens of Fort Worth honored him as "Philanthropist of the Year" for his work with homeless people at the Union Gospel Mission.
“Denver's art is raw, yet innocent, and directly from his soul...He began painting at sixty-five before he learned to read and write two years later...He does not consider himself an artist but I do. I get excited every time I walk into his little studio in our garage and see the latest creation of his hands, and my heart sinks when I go there and see he has done nothing!!!! People from all across America have bought his art to have a connection to him and his story....Enjoy.”
- Ron Hall
A few words from Cerulean Gallery’s Director
about Denver Moore’s artwork:
Denver Moore’s artwork is very special and unique. I can never
predict when Denver will present me with a new body of work, and
I can never tell Denver what to create – he creates from his
heart and of his own will. But when Denver arrives with an arm
full of his new treasures, I can guarantee that each one is
exceptional to him.
Denver’s subjects include, but are not limited to,
self-portraits, hearts, crosses, angels, scenes from his books,
words and animals. Angels are a particularly fond subject for
Denver, and you will find in his works that he sees and
interprets his visions of angels in a very specific outline.
Some of Denver’s paintings are simply words scratch into the
paint with little or no imagery. The words can be Biblical
scriptures or personal sayings of importance to Denver. Denver
just recently learned to read and write so his words will not
always be perfect or correct – and as Denver says, “that’s just
like us as humans.” Sometimes his messages are broken up or
unfinished, but he tells me what they mean. We will be happy to
give you an interpretation of the piece and explain what it says
because often times his writing is difficult to read.
You may notice Denver’s unpredictable choice of colors. Denver
uses colors to express his emotion. In fact, pink is one of
Denver’s favorite colors so if you get a pink painting you can
fondly look at it and know Denver was in a good mood when he
painted that one!
Each one of Denver’s original works are framed, and the frame is
hand selected by Denver himself. Most of his frames are damaged
(scratched and chipped). This is a result of how he handles his
artwork when transporting them. If it were any other artist, I
would ask them to fix the frame, but because it is Denver, I
think it adds more character to the pieces. After all, Denver
feels that they do not need to be perfect since he, himself, is
not.
I hope you enjoy Denver’s work as much as we do and by placing
his work on your wall, it will remind you of Denver’s mission,
love, and hope for all of us.
~ Caroline Crockett Kneese
Method of
Payment
We
accept cash and money orders for Denver Moore's Greeting Cards.
We accept cash, money orders, and all major credit cards
(Visa, MasterCard, Amex, and Discover) for Denver's Original Paintings and
Fine Art Giclee Prints.
We do NOT have an order form on-line.
To obtain pricing information and shipping quotes for Denver's Originals
Paintings and/or to place an order.
please contact Caroline Kneese,
caroline@theceruleangallery.com
Greeting Cards
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Denver's printed note cards are $25 for a package of 10 cards
and 10 envelopes (including shipping).
There are 5 different images (2 cards of each image). We accept cash and
checks for them.
We will mail your package as soon as we receive your payment.
If you pay by check, then please make your check payable to
Cerulean Gallery and mail it to the following address:
Caroline Kneese
3223 Crockett Street
Amarillo, TX 79109
Fine Art Giclee Prints
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|
Are All
Homeless Just Working Our Way Home |
Original Paintings
To request pricing and shipping quotes, please contact Caroline Kneese, caroline@theceruleangallery.com
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Jacob’s Ladder
Detail
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Jacob’s Ladder
Image Size: 18”w x 24”h
Framed Size: 22 ½”w x 28 ½”h
Mixed media
The ladders symbolize our lives. We are all, in our own way,
headed to the same place, Heaven. “We are all on our way to the
cross. We all just get there in different ways.” The cross at
the top is painted in metallic gold. The silver arcs on either
side of the cross are painted in metallic silver and represent
Heaven. The purple rock at the base represents God as our rock
and foundation. “God is the rock of salvation.” He also painted
a tree on the left to represent the tree in the Garden of Eden.
He painted Jacob with an animal towards the top. He told me that
there are several other symbols in this painting, but he wants
them to be revealed to and interpreted by the viewer.
The Upper Room
Image Size: 28”w x 22”h
Framed Size: 33”w x 27”h
Mixed media on canvas
This painting is full of symbolism and scripture focusing on
Jesus’s work here on Earth. The first scripture that Denver was
focusing on here is in Acts:
Acts 9: 36 – 43
36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her
name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor.
37 The Upper Room
About that time she became sick and died, and her body was
washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa;
so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent
two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”
39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken
upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying
and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had
made while she was still with them.
40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his
knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said,
“Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat
up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then
he called for the believers, especially the widows, and
presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over
Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed in
Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.
The Upper Room was also a place referred to as where Jesus
hosted the Last Supper.
The figure in this painting represents a person looking for the
pathway to eternal life. The 3 crosses from the Crucifixion make
up a large portion of that pathway, which leads to heaven. The 3
brown jugs represent water jugs where Jesus turned water into
wine.
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Memory of a Red Bird
Image Size: 20”w x 16”h
Framed Size: 21 ¾”w x 17 ¾”h
Acrylic on canvas
This is memory that Denver had back in his slave days. Denver
painted this scene from an aerial view. It’s of a red bird
flying down into the cornfields to gather worms. The yellow is
the cornfield. If you look very closely, you can see that all of
the worms have eyes.
Follow Me My Children
Image Size: 20”w x 16”h
Framed Size: 24 ½”w x 20 ½”h
Acrylic and glitter on canvas
“Through anything that we do I will take to a safe place.”
There is gold glitter all over the faces of these 2 angels.
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He Made Me Beautiful
Image Size: 20”w x 16”h
Framed Size: 25 ½”w x 21 ½”h
Acrylic on canvas
This is a painting of an angel flying through the sky. The point
of this painting is that we are all God’s children and He made
us all beautiful, no matter what we look like. The abstract face
of the angel is the bottom left portion of the
Lil’ Buddy
Image Size: 24”w x 18”h
Framed Size: 30”w x 24”h
Acrylic on canvas
This is Denver’s memory of himself as a boy. His nickname was
“Lil’ buddy” . . .that was what everyone on the plantation
called him. He is standing in the cotton field with his mule to
his left side (it’s difficult to see the mule). This painting is
high in texture and has areas of thick paint.
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The Red Hat
Image Size: 20”w x 16”h
Framed Size: 24”w x 20”h
Mixed media
This is a building that Denver painted from his memory. It is
called “The Red Hat” located at Angola Prison, and it is the
place where they used to execute prisoners in the electric
chair. This building is now on exhibition.
The Bucket of Blood
Image Size: 24”w x 18”h
Framed Size: 30 ¾”w x 24 ¾”h
Mixed media
This is a building named “The Bucket of Blood” at Angola Prison.
Denver painted this from his memory. A very long time ago, this
was a barn used to house prisoners. Eventually they turned it
the first dormitory for prisoners. Since then, they built a new
dormitory, and then used this one to send the worst prisoners to
be punished.
There was a well in the back of the barn. The structure at the
top of the roof collected the rainwater and directed it down
into the well. That is what they used for there water in this
building.
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Standing in the Middle of Nowhere Where
Time Don’t Matter, and I Got Nowhere to Be At
Image Size: 18”w x 24”h
Framed Size: 22 ½”w x 28 ½”h
Mixed media
This is a portrait of Denver when he was a slave. He is standing
on top of gravel looking like a scarecrow amongst the sugar cane
and cornfields. Behind him are the railroad tracks and people on
their way to the Man’s store to buy supplies and food.
Standing in the Middle of Nowhere Where
Time Don’t Matter, and I Got Nowhere to Be At
Detail
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Angel in Disguise
Image Size: 20”w x 16”h
Framed Size: 25 ¼”w x 21 ¼”h
Mixed media, glitter
Denver explained to me that anybody could be an angel regardless
of how he/she looks. “They can be big and ugly for all we know.
We never know who’s an angel because they are in disguise.
Listen, you never know who’s an angel and who ain’t. It’s a
test.” The white oval with red dots represents the crown of
glory that this angel is wearing because it has been resurrected
into Heaven. The angel is permanently stationed in Heaven as the
boss of the angels in disguise on Earth. Denver chose to paint
the angel tan in color to represent all of the colors in the
universe blended together.
There is gold glitter surrounding the angel, and gold metallic
paint in some areas on the angel. Denver’s signature is in gold
on the bottom right of the canvas.
St. Matthew’s Baptist Church in Coushatta,
Louisiana
Image Size: 18”w x 14”h
Framed Size: 22”w x 18”h
Mixed media, glitter
St. Matthew’s Baptist Church was the church that Denver attended
during his slave days in Coushatta, Louisiana. The church is
still there today, and is located next to a highway and railroad
tracks.
The three crosses surrounding the church represent the
crucifixion.
Denver used glitter on the sun, the three crosses, and the roof
of the church.
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Luke 8:16
Image Size: 24”w x 18”h
Framed Size: 28”w x 22”h
Mixed media, metallic silver and gold acrylic
16" No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under
a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in
can see the light.”
This is a self-portrait of Denver. The red cross represents
Jesus’ crucifixion and the metallic silver/gold sword represents
the sword that was used to pierce Jesus’ side. Denver painted
the cross and the sword in the sky behind him (not going into
him). The silver-blue form above the red cross represents the
moon in the night sky. He painted “the light of life” as Denver
calls it, to his right on a stand, to symbolize Denver today
spreading the good Word of the Lord.
Angels Among the Stars
Image Size: 20”w x 16”h
Framed Size: 25 ½””w x 21 ½”h
Mixed media, glitter
Denver painted three angels in this scene. They are angels among
the stars that watch over the universe. The brown angel watches
over the Earth. The white angel watches over Paradise (Heaven).
The blue angel on the right is the Master Angel and is difficult
to see. It is far away from the other two angels and it is
headed upwards. Each angel has two large blobs of gold glittery
paint on them. One representing the eye and the other is the
soul of the angel.
Denver painted a gold border around the angels, and the paint is
high in texture.