Take in brand new exhibitions at The Art Studio, Inc. on the first Saturday of each month! Join us Saturday March 7th, 7-10pm for the opening reception of
“Flowers”
by Justin LeBlanc
in the Maudee Gallery
” I made this series because I wanted to step away from the artwork I was making about social and political issues, and create something that looked nice. Wildflowers make me happy, whether they are on the side of the road or I’m seeing them out on trail. I don’t really know how to talk about my artwork like this though, pictures that I make just for the sake of trying to make something pretty. So the day before this artist’s statement was due I asked an artificially intelligent chatbot to “Please help me write an artist’s statement about a series of still life photographs of Texas wildflowers.” And this was the response:
This series of still life photographs explores Texas wildflowers as both botanical subjects and cultural symbols. Removed from their natural landscapes and photographed in quiet, controlled settings, the flowers become intimate portraits rather than markers of place. Through this shift, I aim to slow the act of looking and invite attention to form, texture, and color—details that are often overlooked in the rush of seasonal spectacle.
Texas wildflowers are commonly associated with abundance, resilience, and regional pride. By isolating individual blooms and arranging them as still lifes, I examine the tension between their wild origins and their transformation into objects of contemplation. The photographs balance fragility and endurance, echoing the way these plants survive drought, heat, and neglect while remaining visually delicate.
Ultimately, this work reflects on impermanence and care. The still life tradition, historically tied to memory and mortality, allows these fleeting blossoms to exist briefly outside of time. In preserving them through photography, I am not attempting to claim or domesticate nature, but to honor its quiet persistence and the personal, often emotional connections we form with the landscapes we call home.
This was funny to me, but I also like what it said. Reading this was kind of like the experience of hearing someone’s interpretation of my pictures, when they articulate things in a way that I never could have done on my own. I also usually think artist’s statements are goofy and over the top, so of course I feel goofy that I enjoyed this statement that a computer made for me.”
