Based in New York, painter Cobi Moules creates work that engages with queer and transgender identity, relationships, pop culture and the complexities of family. Moules’s self-portraits, both realistic and imagined, express a signature style consisting of multiple copies of himself, often painted over 19th-century American landscapes. Moules chooses these locations intentionally for their connections to “America’s first true artistic fraternity” — the Hudson River School.
Moules was born in 1980 in Oakdale, California, and his early memories include painting on his grandmother’s porch, struggling with the process and his mistakes. Despite his frustration, Moules found himself returning to art again and again.
In 2004, Moules graduated from San Jose State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, and in 2010, he received a Master of Fine Arts from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University. Moules was an artist-in-residence at six different organizations, earning fellowships from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in 2008 and the Joan Mitchell MFA Grant in 2010. After graduation, Moules earned the Vermont Studio Center Fellowship and the Ruth and Harold Chenven Foundation Grant.
Two of his projects are named after modified lyrics from a famous Cyndi Lauper song: "Bois Just Want To Have Fun" and "That’s All They Really Want." They vibrantly examine the visual renegotiation of personal image.
Moules’s work has been exhibited widely across the United States, including at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Jepson Center in Georgia, the Ogunquit Museum of American Art in Maine and Smack Mellon in New York. The Leslie Lohman Museum, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the RISD Museum and the 21c Museum have all acquired his work.
Moules’s work, which challenges the conventions of American art and its landscape painting traditions, continues to capture the attention of critics and collectors.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of Cobi Moules paintings.
Untitled (Ausable River 1) - Contemporary figurative landscape oil painting
By Cobi Moules
Located in East Quogue, NY
Figurative hyperreal landscape oil painting, "(Untitled (Ausable River 1))," by Cobi Moules. Oil on canvas. 8 x 6 inches. Offered unframed. Driven by the desire for adventure and di...
Canvas, Oil
Untitled (Ausable River 2) - Contemporary figurative landscape oil painting
By Cobi Moules
Located in East Quogue, NY
Figurative hyperreal landscape oil painting, "(Untitled (Ausable River 2)," by Cobi Moules. Oil on canvas. 8 x 10 inches. Offered unframed. Driven by the desire for adventure and di...
Canvas, Oil
Untitled (Adirondacks) - Figurative landscape painting
By Cobi Moules
Located in East Quogue, NY
Landscape painting by Cobi Moules - Oil on canvas Driven by the desire for adventure and discovery, Cobi Moules embraces the beauty of nature all the while shifting its weight throu...
Canvas, Oil
Untitled (Mountain view of Schroon Lake) - Figurative landscape oil painting
By Cobi Moules
Located in East Quogue, NY
Landscape oil painting, "(Mountain view of Schroon Lake)," by Cobi Moules - Oil on canvas Driven by the desire for adventure and discovery, Cobi Moules embraces the beauty of nature...
Canvas, Oil
Untitled (Salt Marsh Herring Cove)
By Cobi Moules
Located in East Quogue, NY
Landscape painting titled "Untitled (Salt Marsh Herring Cove)" by Cobi Moules - Oil on canvas Driven by the desire for adventure and discovery, Cobi Moules embraces the beauty of nature all the while shifting its weight through the exaltation of his own existence within, and as part, of it. This is best exemplified by the way he incorporates multiple self-portraits throughout his compositions. The multiplicity of self takes both precedence over, as well as integration into, the landscape creating a world with a sense of excitement, self-worth and play. The locations of Moules’ compositions are equally important. All of the locations were previously depicted in paintings by the Hudson River School. Through the exploration of the grand American landscape and the reflection on mid-19th century American...
Canvas, Oil
Untitled (Island in the Sky) - Figurative landscape oil painting
By Cobi Moules
Located in East Quogue, NY
Landscape oil painting, "(Island in the Sky)," by Cobi Moules Oil on canvas. 8 x 10 inches Driven by the desire for adventure and discovery, Cobi Moules embraces the beauty of natu...
Canvas, Oil
Untitled (Ship Harbor)
By Cobi Moules
Located in East Quogue, NY
Winter landscape painting by Cobi Moules - Oil on canvas Exhibition History: "New England Now: People," Shelburne Museum, Vermont (June 26 - October 17, 2021) Driven by the desire for adventure and discovery, Cobi Moules embraces the beauty of nature all the while shifting its weight through the exaltation of his own existence within, and as part, of it. This is best exemplified by the way he incorporates multiple self-portraits throughout his compositions. The multiplicity of self takes both precedence over, as well as integration into, the landscape creating a world with a sense of excitement, self-worth and play. The locations of Moules’ compositions are equally important. All of the locations were previously depicted in paintings by the Hudson River School. Through the exploration of the grand American landscape and the reflection on mid-19th century American landscape painting, Moules navigates the parallels between the Hudson River School and the religious ideology that was an integral part of his formative years. Shared throughout both is the elevation of purity, virginity and the honor of sacrificing one’s selfhood for the glory of God. As the Hudson River School artists’ work embodies the overpowering force of God made manifest through nature, so do the religious voices of Moules’ past against the validation of his existence. Moules states, “As a queer and trans person, I seek to renegotiate my relationship with this upbringing and the act of being told I am ‘unnatural’ through such a Christian lens. I utilize traditional representation as a way of seeking inclusion while disrupting the original narrative. Creating a space for personal significance and a queer and trans presence, the importance becomes the experience of my multiple and overall presence. It is a community of me playing, exploring my selves, exploring nature and being part of it.” Landscape, nature, figurative painting, self portrait, portrait, seascape, coastline, seashore, Hudson River School, contemporary art, Ship Harbor...
Canvas, Oil
$893
H 15.75 in W 18.9 in D 0.79 in
Untitled - Blue Landscape With Trees, XX Century Figurative Oil Painting
Located in Hallein, AT
Alina Dobrowolska - artist from Gdańsk; graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk at the Faculty of Painting. She took part in collective and individual exhibitions in Poland...
Canvas, Oil
$1,585
H 7.09 in W 7.88 in D 0.79 in
Feminine & Masculine XV - Modern Figurative Oil Painting, Beach View, Realism
By Julita Malinowska
Located in Hallein, AT
Artodyssey "Julita Malinowska's paintings belong to those, which once seen - are never forgotten. The open spaces, sometimes cool and bright, at other times heavily saturated with co...
Canvas, Oil
$6,242Sale Price|20% Off
H 39.38 in W 39.38 in
"Evening in Aureille", Clear Landscape with Red Sky Mixed Media Oil Painting
By Andrée de Frémont
Located in Clermont-Ferrand, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
This painting depicts a view of Aureille, a village in the French Alps. The artist wanted to conveys the atmosphere of evenings in this place, when the sky turns red, often making i...
Canvas, Oil
$3,633
H 19.69 in W 13.78 in D 0.79 in
Lovers IV - Contemporary, Modern Oil Painting, Realism, Colourful, Sea View
By Julita Malinowska
Located in Hallein, AT
Artodyssey "Julita Malinowska's paintings belong to those, which once seen - are never forgotten. The open spaces, sometimes cool and bright, at other times heavily saturated with co...
Canvas, Oil
$2,918
H 21.66 in W 27.56 in D 0.79 in
The Tree 1 - Contemporary Landscape Painting, Nature, Trees, Warm Colours
By Bogumił Książek
Located in Hallein, AT
Bogumił Książek was educated at the Cracow’s Academy of Fine Arts (1995-2000). 2003 -2009 he lived and worked in Florence, Italy 2009 - 2020 he lives ...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$2,144
H 27.56 in W 39.38 in D 0.79 in
Ship Wreck - Contemporary Oil Landscape Painting , Sea View, Nature, Expression
By Agnieszka Zawisza
Located in Hallein, AT
Agnieszka Zawisza (born 1970) is a painter, visual artist and art teacher. She studied at the Warsaw Art Academy, Department of Painting (1994-2000), obtaining a Master's degree with...
Canvas, Oil
$953
H 7.88 in W 11.82 in D 0.79 in
Spieltrieb - Modern Figurative Oil Painting, Existentialism Art
By Piotr Kotlicki
Located in Hallein, AT
Kotlicki is a constantly searching artist. Treading his own path, aiming at defining himself, giving his work a clear identity, he came across the avant-garde. He would back off the way, though, reckoning that a particular style imposes some limitations, and the real art is the liberation from the clichés and guidelines. Following this line of thinking, he managed to remain the independent artist, creating plainly under the influence of his own feelings experienced in a certain moment, the influence of certain occurrences. Kotlicki’s works are texturally rich to great extent. Along with chiaroscuro, the author plays with contrasts, setting flat colour patches with a thick, uneven layer of paint, round shapes with angular ones, oil paint with pastel, realism with non-descriptive painting. In terms of colours, he rather remains dedicated to monochromatism. The different colour appearing at times is to strengthen the effect of the domineering colour scheme. Similarly like in the case of chiaroscuro - it is not a compulsory action, the author remains open for his creative train of thought. Born 1972 in Poland. Graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź, Poland in 2000, painting diploma by Prof. Ryszard Hunger. Currently works as assistant at the National Film School in Łódź at The Film and Television Directing Department (PWSFTViT). In line with his background, his creative work is multimedia-oriented with an emphasis on painting. They have been displayed at: Ningbo Museum of Art (China), the National Gallery of Art in Warsaw, the Audio-visual & new media arts festival Madatac in Madrid (Spain), the MS Dockville Festival in Hamburg (Germany), the International Video Festival in Novi Sad...
Canvas, Oil
$2,144
H 23.63 in W 36.23 in D 0.79 in
Vanishing Houses 3 - Contemporary Expressive Symbolic and Minimalistic Painting
By Joanna Mrozowska
Located in Hallein, AT
Joanna Mrozowska Born in 1976 in Warsaw. Studied in the Department of Painting in the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw; she graduated with a Master’s degree in painting, with the cycle...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
$2,144
H 21.66 in W 17.72 in D 1.19 in
Leaves - Modern Expressive Garden, Nature, Flowers, Landscape Oil Painting
By Bartosz Kolata
Located in Hallein, AT
Bartosz Kolata was born in Torun, Poland in 1979. In 2006 he graduated in Art Conservation and Restoration from Nicolas Copernicus University UMK, securing a Master of Art degree. He...
Canvas, Oil
$13,104
H 47.25 in W 47.25 in
"Starry Night on the Entrechaux Garden", Modern Landscape Mixed Media Painting
By Andrée de Frémont
Located in Clermont-Ferrand, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
This artwork depicts a night lanscape of the South of France. The sky is studded with golden leaves stars. The red-roofed provencal house provides a fit setting for its flowered garden, illuminated by the moonlight, figured as a large yellow beam textured with silk paper. A proliferation of shrubs and climbing flowers are tangling and occupy the space of a large squared canvas, tempered by the immutable verticality of cypresses and by a large beige field in the bottom right. This piece is not framed. Andrée de Frémont...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
$2,323
H 27.56 in W 35.44 in D 0.79 in
Botanic Garden 2 - Contemporary Expressive Landscape Oil Painting, Plant View
By Agnieszka Zawisza
Located in Hallein, AT
Agnieszka Zawisza (born 1970) is a painter, visual artist and art teacher. She studied at the Warsaw Art Academy, Department of Painting (1994-2000), obtaining a Master's degree with...
Canvas, Oil
$3,335
H 39.38 in W 51.19 in D 0.79 in
Memory Has No Idea About Geography ...- Expressive Contemporary Painting
By Robert Bubel
Located in Hallein, AT
The painting is signed on the back. The whole artistic output of Robert Bubel centres around subjective emotions and arousing emotion in the beholder. The source of inspiration- tha...
Canvas, Oil