Koi Ballet 2017

Terri Kelly Moyers made this painting ‘Koi Ballet’ with oils. The blues feel deep, cool, inviting. I can feel her painting, thinking, trying, and correcting. I love the idea of her there, in the studio, brushing and swirling color on the canvas. The lily pads in the painting feel like little islands in a pond. Look at how the artist has captured the movement of the Koi with swirls of blue that seem to reflect the sky above, as these Koi dance, swim, and play. I think she might have been channeling Monet's water lilies in a way – that feels right, like a kind of nod to the Impressionists and their love of nature. As painters, we’re all in a big, messy conversation, borrowing and stealing and riffing off each other. It’s all about trying to find your own voice, your own way of seeing the world, and then sharing it with others.