Meet The Artist
Monica Moore
Monica Moore is the artist, project founder, and artistic director of The Hearts Project Covid-19 Memorial. Her artistic practice is rooted in a belief in transformation, the ability to uncover extraordinary beauty and meaning in the seemingly ordinary.
Raised amid the quiet landscapes of southwest Missouri, Monica first discovered the hidden depth of everyday surroundings during a pivotal trip to Japan. There, she learned to see both natural and urban environments as vessels of artistic possibility. That shift in perspective shaped a career dedicated to revealing overlooked beauty and honoring untold stories through art.
Midnight Rose
Oil Pastel, 14” x 17”
Monica Moore speaking at the Fort Smith Regional Arts Museum.
Book Monica to speak at your venue (see below).
Monica’s work has evolved across multiple mediums, from digital photography, painting, textiles, to mixed media. All of her work is united by her drive to find meaning in the discarded, the forgotten, and the unseen.
Her early macro photography explored the intricate details of flowers, later expanded through digital manipulation into dreamlike compositions that challenged viewers to see the familiar in new ways. This dialogue between digital and traditional mediums eventually carried into her Sheet Art Series, where she reimagined vintage bed linens as canvases, celebrating anonymous design and offering subtle critiques of consumer culture.
The COVID-19 pandemic marked a profound turning point in Monica’s work and life. Confronting grief and isolation, she found unexpected inspiration in fashion catalogs and lifestyle magazines. Cutting small hearts from glossy pages that include symbols of consumerism repurposed as tokens of remembrance, she created a practice of mourning through transformation. Inspired by the Children’s Peace Monument in Hiroshima, Monica expanded this intuitive act into a large-scale memorial, The Hearts Project.
Today, The Hearts Project honors the 13,068 lives lost to COVID-19 in Arkansas. Thousands of paper hearts, arranged in quilt-like collages, reflect the many dimensions of the pandemic’s impact. Each frame is dedicated to a theme, with the first three representing healthcare workers who risked their lives, frontline workers disproportionately affected, and families grieving in isolation. Together, the frames form a memorial that is as much about remembrance as it is about resilience and healing.
Monica continues to guide The Hearts Project as both an artistic and community endeavor. By partnering with schools, nonprofits, and local organizations, she ensures the memorial is not only a tribute but also a tool for education, public health awareness, and community connection. Her vision remains rooted in the principles of finding the extraordinary within the ordinary, transforming everyday materials and shared grief into art that honors lives, fosters healing, and invites reflection.
Monica Moore lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with her husband and their beloved cat, carrying forward a lifelong dedication to creating art that speaks to both personal and collective experience.
Midnight Rose
Oil Pastel, 14” x 17”
Monica Moore speaking at the Fort Smith Regional Arts Museum.
Book Monica to speak at your venue (see below).
Book a Presentation
Looking for a dynamic speaker?
Monica is available and has done presentations, talks, and workshops for people in the community interested in The Hearts Project and art.
Submit a request to “Speak with Monica” by filling out the form below.
Speaker Recommendations
Monica Moore’s presentation of The Hearts Project – A COVID-19 Memorial was powerful and deeply moving. As the director and creator, her passion was clear, and the room was silent with attention—you could hear a pin drop. Well-organized and heartfelt, she shared impactful photos of the project, leaving a lasting impression on all who attended. read more
Carolyn Coffelt
Siloam Springs-P.E.O. Chapter, Member
On September 9, 2025, Monica delivered an interesting and passionate program to our P.E.O. Chapter about The Hearts Project! In her inspiring presentation she reminded us of the difficult challenges we all faced because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but most especially those who suffered great loss during this time. What a creative and heartfelt tribute to all who experienced the impact of the trauma of those years as well as those who continue to deal with the aftermath. read more
Lynn Stephens
Siloam Springs-P.E.O. Chapter, Vice President, 2025
Speak with Monica
Want to learn more, interview, or otherwise connect with either Monica Moore or someone at The Hearts Foundation?