Artist: Erick C. Johnson
Year: 1989 (refurbished 2024)
Dates: b.1950, Denver, CO
Materials: Steel, Plexiglass, Lacquer Paint, LED
Dimensions: 12′ x 3′ x 4′
Contributed to MOA by the Artist

The Museum of Outdoor Arts is happy to loan this sculpture to Junior Achievement. Thank you Junior Achievement for hosting this installation at your beautiful headquarters!

About this Sculpture

All the Right Moves” came into being as an expression of frustration, resilience, and the ability to adapt as an artist. Originally titled “All the Right Moves and Nobody Wants to Dance,” the sculpture emerged from the leftover materials from my public art commission “Tail Spin” at the Colorado Convention Center in the late 1980s. At that time, I found myself facing the bittersweet experience of realizing a significant public project while also feeling overlooked by the media. Despite pouring my heart and soul into my work, I was confronted with the silence of external validation, a bruised ego, and a growing sense of isolation.

The title reflected my state of mind then—feeling like I was doing everything right as an artist, following the “right moves,” and yet, there was a lack of recognition. This piece captures that dissonance between creation and reception, the dance between effort and acknowledgment.

By reusing the materials from “Tail Spin,” I wanted to physically and symbolically transform the remnants of one project into something new. It represents the resilience of the creative process—the refusal to let frustration halt creation, and instead, to use it as fuel for a new narrative. “All the Right Moves” stands as a reminder to myself, and hopefully to others, that the artistic journey is often full of obstacles, but the beauty lies in the persistence to keep dancing, even when no one seems to be watching.

-Erick C. Johnson

General Artist Statement

Defiant Jumble

I am a disobedient artist, and yet a formalist.

I never follow instructions, plan, or very seldom do I sketch out my vision. This approach allows me to probe and experiment along the way. Expectations are never realized, yet I am always surprised at their outcomes. My rule of law is not to have one. Being naïve allows me to know just enough so that I can bleed out my own curiosity and desires.

Many times in my life, I was told, ‘You should not, cannot, won’t work, or you’re wasting your time.’

I am an object-maker with reckless use or needs. I create sculptures born of discarded material. They all have a sense of symbolism but possess their own identity. My play is not just physical; it’s a three-dimensional mind mapping. I am seduced into making art that aligns me with my inner energy. My art is a dare—refined, defiant, but sincere.

-Erick C. Johnson

Artist Biography

Sculptor Erick C. Johnson is a native of Colorado and has contributed to the world of art since 1975. Not only has Mr. Johnson been dedicated to public and higher education for 28 years (Jefferson County Schools, Metro State, RMCAD, CSU, and UNC), but he also has an extensive exhibit record, showing his artwork nationally and internationally. He has been included in many solo and group shows, including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver and the Biennials in Western States, premiering in Phoenix, Denver, and Fort Collins. He has shown in Barcelona, Spain, and Bamberg, Germany, and has works in permanent collections across the nation, specifically in Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York, Chicago, California, Texas, and Minnesota.

Erick’s award-winning public sculptures can be seen throughout the city of Denver. These include commissions by RTD, Coors Field, and the Denver Permit Building (the first commission granted under Federico Peña’s Percent for Art program: DCCA, now the DOCA). His work also graces locations within the Lowry Foundation and many public art installations sponsored by the Museum of Outdoor Arts, Cherry Creek Arts Festival, The SNAG Conference, and the Smoky Hill Arts Festival in Kansas. Johnson’s numerous public sculpture commissions include those for Coors Field, the Colorado Convention Center, and the Palm Harbor, Florida City Gates. Most recently, Johnson has completed a large sculpture (“Prairie Reef”) for the new Central Park Avenue that traverses the north-south corridor of the Stapleton community. The large stainless steel sculpture straddles the traffic median with five kinetic forms featuring curvilinear loop-de-loop lines.

Mr. Johnson’s prolific career has spanned many areas of art education, public art, art installations, and gallery and museum exhibits. These accomplishments clearly indicate that he will continue to support the arts in the West and across the nation.