Halt and Surrender are about solitude, solidarity and self-awareness. The large scaled drawings are exemplified by stylized women isolated within societal constructs. Each work is 42x96." Each woman is contained in her own space. The women confront the viewer with their gaze, their stance and their massive size. The charcoal on paper add to the drama by the contrast of black and white. Tension was added by the juxtaposition of the fragility of the paper and the strength of each woman. 

M.V.'s work consistently revolves around the female body. The human body fascinates her in all of its complexity; humans as physical, emotional and spiritual beings. 

M.V. uses her my own body in my work to add a sense of understanding and empathy. My work is not a rebuke of thick thighs or voluptuous breasts. Rather, they are a meditation what it means to be in this body. Exaggerations allow her to see that all bodies have flaws and flaws are not the issue. 

M.V.'s interest in how society expects too much from these frail, flawed forms. On average, human bodies only last about seventy-some years and they go through so many changes in that time. Therefore, a chance to research this journey of the body is a necessity she could not ignore. Investigating, research and experimentation are an important part of her work. 

Drawing is research. And, drawing large allows M.V. to experiment and work on a drawing for an extended amount of time. Investigation consists of working from life, pictures or my own reflection in the mirror. M.V.'s work takes on internal and external factors and she is their filter. 

Edvard Munch, Rick Bartow, and Jim Dine were a major influence for this body of work. Each of these artists where highly prolific and were constantly experimenting with materials, concepts, and design principles. 

M. V. Moran earned her MFA in Visual Studies from Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, Oregon. Moran has a BFA in Painting from the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon. She currently works in Eugene, Oregon.