TaraMoormanArt.com
The Collection
​
​
Welcome to my website celebrating my work and solo show at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, LETTERS TO MY ANCESTORS, May 13-August 27, 2017.
I have always loved old photography especially our old family photos. In the fall of 2013, when my mother passed away I discovered many old photographs, some dating back to the late 1880s. The photos immediately inspired me with the idea of bringing these relatives “back to life” and to paint some of my family’s history! I was not only inspired by the visuals but also by the stories behind the photos.
Photos that inspired this collection
Would I be able to tell the story of my family through this connection to the old photos? I was excited by this new creative project germinating inside me. Since childhood, I have been aware of a spiritual connection with people here on earth as well as many who are in the spirit world. Using these photos as a catalyst allowed me to have a conversation of sorts with my ancestors and to momentarily step into their world.
Those conversations were recorded and have been published in my first book
“LETTERS TO MY ANCESTORS, The Watercolors and Writings of Tara Moorman,” a companion to the exhibition.
This work explores my mother’s lineage. Every painting has some connection to Anna “Nannie” Stubblefield Nation (1898-1978) my maternal grandmother. Family secrets and stories are shared on the Stubblefield side and on the Nation family side, many of you will remember the once famous Carrie Nation, self-appointed leader of the Kansas temperance movement, whose unusual story is included with her painting.
Thank you so much for your interest in my art and willingness to explore with me the spiritual nature of this work. Please enjoy getting to know some of my ancestral family, all painted with love, light and a deep honoring for the gifts of my family lineage.
Tara Moorman