Mississippi Artist Larry Moore

"Mississippi artist featured at local gallery"

An opening reception for an exhibit of works by Mississippi Artist Larry Moore will be held today from 1 to 6 at First Impressions Art gallery. The reception is open to the public and admission is free. The exhibit includes in a showing of his art during Black Histoy Month in Jackoson. The works will hang at the local art gallery through April 19. Frist Impressional Art Gallery is located at 2209 5th St. Ed Lynch is owner of the facility, which features art by African- Americans, as well as prints and sculpture. The gallery also had books, jewelry, cloth, clothing, and other ethinc material. This story was originally printed in the Merdian Star, on Sunday, April 13, 1997 on page 11C. This was reprinted by his 15 year old daughter Yarrl Moore.

Mississippi Artist Larry Moore does a sketch of Steve Hill at a local Mall. Moore, a native of Lawrence, travels the South doing sketches. This story was originally printed by Phillip Coleman, In the Meridian Star , On Sunday December 31,1995. On page 8A. In Meridian, MS. Reprinted by Yarrl Moore.

For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 11 Timothy 1?

When he finishes a sketch, Mississippi artist Larry Moore adds a reference to a quotation from the Bible, among them this quotation from a letter written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy. "God is Good," Moore says as he talks to models waiting for him to finish sketching their portraits. "He said to acknowledge Him in all thy ways, and he will direct thy path." While working at a local shopping center, Moore attracted lines of people, customers and some observers. My son Jamie took granddaughter Sarah to sit for a portrait - and was so impressed with man and artist, he suggested that I go back with him to meet him. Several members of our clan later sat for sketches - and I enjoyed watching and talking with Mr. Moore and with passers-by. Children were mesmerized by watching him work. Adults pasued to watch, and you soon saw a smile flit across each face, even those who walked away. An articulate man, Moore kept up a steady conversation listening and talking in turn, his graceful hands moving to and from the sketch growing on an easel in front of him. Moore learns about his subjects while they are posing, and it helps him put defining touches on the sketch and select the reference to a Bible passage. He captures an essence of each person in an economy of lines that may emphasize outstanding features but the finished product is by no means a caricature, it is something people can frame and cherish. Moore, father of eight children, lives in Marion but was born in the small town of Lawrence in Newton County. He began sketching and drawing as a small child. "I was blessed and gifted, but I didn't know it. Then finally an aunt asked me to do a christ-like picture And she and others were amazed when they saw it. I was about 12 then," he said. He has been sketching professionally for 25 years. Moore has been featured in newpapers and on televisions. He was at Black History Month in the Municipal Art Gallery in Jackson on February 14, 1999, with two other well known black artists. He has been at Hinds Community College and will be at William Carey soon to appear with students. Not only does he sketch, he entertains while doing it, because people enjoy watching him work. He charges $300, plus a travel fee, for four hours of entertainment. "I get paid to perform," he said of people watching as he works at a convention or other gathering where he sketches those in attendance. "Then they have something to take home with them." A deeply religious man, he belives in sharing the ups and downs in life, in talking to one another. "I put a verse on my sketches to remind others of the God who gives out good gifts," Moore said. "We're human. We hurt, and it is human to talk to one another. He often shares Psalms 91, portions of which to follow: He that dewlleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God, in him will I trust.... Thou shalt not be afraid.... For he shall give his angels chrage over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. This story was originally printed in section C of the Daily Journal Local on Thursday, April 24,1997; by Phyllis Harper; In Tupelo, MS. This has been reprinted by his 15 year old daughter Yarrl Moore

This story was originally printed in The Advertiser News, Volume 16, Number 25. In Hattiesburg, MS. On January 7, 1998.

When Mississippi Artist Larry Moore gets to work in the mornings, he takes a small hand-held pencil sharpener and begins twisting pencils in it: ebony, light, brown, charcoal. When his first customer shows up, Moore's hands go to work. He draws a long curve here, several short lines there and a mass of lines transform themselves into a nose. After about eight minutes, he pulls the finished picture, a profile protrait, off the easel and hands it to his subject. The customer smiles at the likeness; Moore smiles; too. Moore's artistic talents developed early. "I started (drawing) as a real small child. My mom used to spank me for drawing on the wall, the refrigerator, and the floor. Anywhere I could draw, I would draw, as a child." His affinity for art eventually led him to quit school. "I dropped out in the sixth grade. One reason I dropped out, I remember this well, I felt I was wasting my time. I remember sitting around just like all the other students, but I always wanted to create, draw, doodle." So he did. One of his first drawings was of Jesus Christ for his aunt Virginia Evans. The work was done on a peice of particle board. Evans covered it in plastic and put it over her fire-place. Although Moore never had formal training in art, he said, "My whole life has been involved with either a paint brush, a pencil, or a pen, for the most part" From 1969 to 1974, the self-made artist worked with a furniture company, that was "about as bored as you can get." He gave it up for art full time. However, he added, " I learned how these skills came about, about three years ago. "I'm reading the Holy Bible after an accident in Lawerence, Mississippi; I was almost killed. I read the part about Paul that said 'Neglect not the gift that God has given thee by laying on of hand from birth.' Right then it dawned on me what had happened to me at birth; that had been a part of me all the time, which I had ignored and even avoided. Moore has worked in almost every medium available, including drawing, sculpting, wood carving, scratchborad, charcoal, pastels, watercolor, and oil paints. "I enjoy it all," he said. Moore draws people because, he said, they're the most challenging. "When I was an adolescent I'd go out and see what I couldn't draw; there was absolutely nothing. So , I figured my toughest subject would be people." The challenge is " to be able to distinguish the different characterisitcs in people's faces. To be able to distinguish the minute differences, the differences that most people can't even see," he said. "No two people are alike. I've done people from all over the world. I've done Orientals, German, French, Italians, Hispanic, African. You've heard the old term, " They all look alike;' to me every single person I've met- and I've met literally thousands, every single one of them is different. This story was originally printed on page 10B The Meridian Star, Friday December 10, 1993. In the "People" Section. This has been reprinted by his 14 year old daughter Yarrl Moore and as we go along there are many more storys I will share with you the public from magazines and newspapers about my famous dad, Mississippi Artist Larry Moore. By the way my dad was born Feb. 13, 1949 in a little town called Lawerence, Mississippi. He is the second child of eight and he is also the father of nine of the most beautiful daughters and sons you have ever seen. There are 7 girls and 2 sons. I'm Yarrl Moore. I am an artist and my dad has taught me alot.