A Life in Color and Landscape
Born in St. Louis, United States, Florence McClung was a painter, printmaker, and art teacher. After moving to Dallas, Texas, as a child, she became deeply immersed in music and studied to be a concert pianist. Her artistic journey led her to study pastels with Frank Reaugh and painting with artists such as Frank Klepper, Olin Travis, Thomas Stell, and Alexandre Hogue. Between 1928 and 1932, she painted in Taos, New Mexico, joining a circle that included Mabel Dodge Luhan and Tony Luhan. Her work often focused on the rural farm or developed and unspoiled landscape, seeking to record phases of southwestern life. Her subjects included places such as Victor, Colorado, Taos, Cypress Swamp, and Torii-Japan.
Artistic Legacy and Contributions
McClung was associated with the Dallas Nine and served as the Director of Art at Trinity University in Waxahachie, Texas, from 1929 to 1941. She was an active member of the Printmakers Guild and was elected Director of the Texas Fine Arts Association in 1945. Her later works were mostly serigraphs. Throughout her career, she exhibited in various locations, including the Museum of Fine Art, Santa Fe, and the New York World's Fair. Her paintings were held in collections such as the Dallas Museum of Art.
