Isabelle Klauder is a contemporary artist based in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Her large scale oil paintings on patterned fabrics explore the history of the female nude through the lens of the floral-female genre. Her current body of work “Fabricating Thresholds” utilizes patterned fabrics and textiles as canvas, weaving together themes of women’s domestic spaces, escapism, sexuality, and the garden-as-refuge.
In Klauder’s paintings, botanical motifs and floral patterns intertwine with the female figure, creating a rich visual tapestry that celebrates the human form and speaks to the complex relationships between nature and femininity. Drawing inspiration from artists such as Mary Cassat, Eugene Von Bruchenhein, Eric Fischl, as well as the Pattern & Decoration Movement, her paintings challenge traditional representations of the female form, inviting viewers to consider the ways in which societal norms and cultural expectations have shaped our understanding of femininity and sexuality.
Klauder’s work draws attention to the often overlooked role of textiles in women’s work. Textiles have been intimately tied to women’s work, creativity and economic independence. From embroidery to quilting, textiles have provided women with a medium for record keeping and self-expression as a way to connect across time and space. Klauder’s use of sewing and hand-stitching extends beyond the surface of the work; paintings are sometimes accompanied by idioms and words of wisdom that make for suggestive titles and take the form of sewn fabric letters. The fabricated idioms create a sense of timelessness and invites viewers to contemplate the ways in which we move in and out of different stages of life and the ways in which we are shaped by our experiences.
Klauder’s work offers a unique perspective and asks thought-provoking questions about how we perceive time and what it means to pass in and out of life. She’s created a visual language that speaks to our shared humanity and serves as a reminder that there is always beauty to be found in even the most challenging moments of life.
