The early 1980s saw Clough embark on a series of paintings that focussed on an abstracted 'gate' motif, and she also became fascinated by the shadows cast by passing people on subway walls, creating a number of works on this theme.
In the early 1980s, Clough developed a series of paintings that featured an abstract representation of a gate. Her interest in the interplay between light and shadow led her to create several artworks that captured the silhouettes cast by people walking on subway walls.