Sunlight glints across the surface of a pond. A flash reveals the golden back of a large koi and the sturdy shell of a turtle. One slow and steady, the other all flash and motion — in this moment they are suspended together barely breaking the pond’s surface.
The koi pauses, as if in acknowledgement of his ancient lineage, a totem of the psyche. His watchful stillness evokes a regal nature, an unconscious echo of what the Japanese refer to as “Yamabuki,” the golden one. He brings good fortune and an ability to attain the highest goals — and he knows it.
The turtle watches his shining friend flashing in the sun. Wise and steady, the turtle lives at a much slower pace, and keeps the koi safe from predators. After all, the turtle’s ancient lineage is of longevity, wealth, and good luck. The turtle may not always keep pace with his fast-swimming friend, but he is happy to be awash in the dazzle.
The koi breaks the surface in a brief moment and is gone, leaving ripples in his fast-swimming wake.
The turtle is left alone. As the brilliant golden flashes die behind his eyes, he remembers the beauty of his friend…and waits for the next glint of sunlight to break and call his friend back.
In Life As In Art
Before there were words there was art. Even now, some emotions cannot be fully expressed through the written language — they must be painted, or played on a piano, or wept.
This is the story behind the artwork, “Deering and Gregg” by R. Kirk Moore, a work that captures a turtle and a koi suspended in a ray of sunlight. As the artist describes, the piece is painted in honor of Deering Howe and Gregg Allman. Gregg is represented by the resplendent, fast-moving koi. Deering is the turtle capable of carrying the world’s problems on his back.
True friends for more than five decades, Gregg’s brilliant flash rested safe in the knowledge of Deering’s stability and trust. Gregg was secure to pursue his amazing talent, in part, because from the very beginning, he had the rock-solid support of his loyal friend, Deering.
And Deering? His wise guidance steered Gregg through the difficult times, and his joyous capacity for fun imbued all their good times with a heightened sense of richness. And there were so many good times. This fact becomes clearer now that Gregg has passed.
Just like the koi; however, Gregg has left many ripples in his fast-moving wake. His creative energy remains, and his talent will continue to delight new fans even after his entire generation is gone, because like that mythological koi, he truly did attain lofty goals.
And as for Deering — the support who helped Gregg reach those heights — his friend’s brilliant golden flashes, the words and the music, will always live on, each note becoming that much more precious.
Respect and understanding. Brilliance and stability. A turtle and a koi. Deering and Gregg. Undying friendship. That is a rare art in this world.
To emphasize the beauty of the art, this piece was framed in a unique fashion. To highlight the golden fish and the stability of the turtle, we joined two individual mouldings to create a one-of-a-kind look for this project. The detailing on the green frame highlights the glints of gold on the fish. The weathered look of the outer frame echoes the rugged nature of the turtle.
To see more of the artist’s work, visit his website at rkirkmoore.com.
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