Flora

Works by Claire Moore

January 6-28, 2023

Exhibition Statement

This series of paintings is inspired by a return to nature prompted by the pandemic and a move to Texas following over a decade in New York City. As health concerns regarding indoor gatherings escalated, the amount of time Claire spent outdoors grew. Long walks and new hobbies like gardening provided solace and a reprieve from stress, grief, and the monotony of domestic environments.

Extended periods digging in the soil and tending a garden, coupled with a sense of confinement as we sheltered in place, inspired new tightly cropped compositions investigating previously overlooked details of plant life. Dense foliage envelops the canvas simultaneously evoking comfort, akin to the pressure of a weighted blanket, and claustrophobia.

In light of the extreme weather, we’ve experienced in North Texas in recent years as our climate continues to change, the plant life featured in these works has also come to symbolize resilience in times of duress.