Richmond - This Friday night begins like most other nights for Eric Moorcroft.  He sets up his easel at the 17^th Street Farmer’s Market, lays out the paint, fills his bucket with water and lets paintbrush meet canvas.  Eric had never painted to Proverbial before, and was excited to try out some new ideas.  Moorcroft always has a number of thoughts in his head when he starts a new piece, but usually decides on an overall theme at about the same time as the brush makes its first stroke.  Eric likes to let the music guide his painting, making each piece completely unique.  Over the past few months Eric has been a local artistic presence anywhere from the National and Canal Club in Richmond to Club R2 in Charlottesville, but his love for art has been growing for years, and with each show his audience is getting bigger.

Live painting is only the latest artistic path for Eric.  Art has always been something he enjoyed doing, although his Communications degree from Longwood University was supposed to take him in a completely different direction.  Since graduating, he has lived on completely opposite sides of the country with stints in Alaska and Hatteras Island [North Carolina].  Upon moving to Richmond in 2009, Eric decided that he wanted to use his love for art as a way to help others, thus starting Art for Purpose, a program aimed at using art to help people get back on their feet.  To Eric, “Art is a way of escaping everyday life, but in a positive way.”

 Eric finds influences for his artwork from a number of sources, from the feelings he gets when listening to live music to other artists that share the same passions he does.   Chapin Mathews was the first live painter that he saw in action, and since then the two have developed a great friendship.  Although the two have very different styles, the mutual admiration and respect for each other’s work is more than apparent.  He also credits his friends for a lot of his inspiration.  It’s not uncommon for Eric and his friends to be hanging out and tossing around ideas of what they would like to see in a painting.

Eric’s first live painting experience was at the National on September 17 for BoomBox.  Not only was this the first endeavor in live painting, but it remains his favorite moment to date.  The show was nothing but energy from beginning to end, and the piece that was created is a direct reflection of the different feelings that Eric went through during the night.  You instantaneously notice lyrics from different songs, shout outs to the opening act (the Silo Effect), and Eric’s appreciation for his fans within the work.  Moorcroft is not shy when it comes to the support of his family and friends.  His mom is well-known to be his biggest supporter, and his friends show up in droves anywhere he is painting just to see what the night holds.  Eric is very interactive with the crowd, listening to suggestions, talking about the piece, or just taking a moment to walk away from the canvas to rage for a little while.

As this Friday night draws to a close, and Proverbial finishes up their set from the final “Red, White and Brew” of the year , it is evident that fans of music really latch on to the idea of live painting at shows.  Eric has paid homage to Proverbial with a piece titled “Straight Saxy”, which was claimed by an onlooker before it was completely finished. It is these moments, when people show their real admiration for his work, that Eric truly appreciates.  When asked what his ultimate live painting experience would be, his answer was quick and filled with an eagerness that proved he had thought about this question from the jump: "Radiohead, with STS9 as a close second.”  You can find Eric’s art on Facebook, just search for EMoor Art and enjoy the experience.

By Director and Correspondent: Brandon Samuel

Brandon is a native of the Richmond area, having lived here for the past 15 years.  He attended Longwood University where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science.  Brandon’s dream has always been to get into the music industry, and he decided that his love for writing and music would be the perfect foot in the door.  Brandon enjoys going to as many show as possible and has a strong desire to see local bands succeed.  Seeing both local and mainstream bands is the best way to truly enjoy their music, and Brandon wants to bring the whole experience of seeing a live show to the loyal readers of Magazine33.