Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Morgan.
Mary Estep Morgan is a hardworking and ambitious woman. Simultaneously she raised a family of three children, taught school full time for 30 years and still finished graduate school at the age of 52 with her MA. Her major childhood external influences are combined geographical locations where she lived as a child. They included Fort Worth Texas where she saw the beautiful Texas sunsets and at an early age tried to paint them from her front porch. At the age of ten she lived in Cali, Colombia and at eighteen she lived in Zurich, Switzerland, two very different terrains yet, the diverse locations had significant impacts upon her.
Her internal influences began in her home where her father was a scholar and taught at a local seminary and her mother a teacher yet did not teach while the children were young. One experience that affected this decision was the life of the youngest child Martin who was born with Cystic Fibrosis and lived to be age seven. Mary was the middle child and did not experience the joy of painting until her senior year in high school when she attended the International School of Zurich and took an art class for the very first time. After attending a local junior college, she attended Baylor University graduating in the fall of 1972 with a BS degree. She majored in Physical Education and minored in Art with a secondary teaching certificate. Although she long to continue to learn more about art and painting in particular the opportunity to do so was not an option after she married. It was not until she taught art as a substitute teacher that her creative instincts awakened and she began to explore avenues through available resources in order to gain knowledge and understanding about teaching art. Several years after birthing children and nurturing them through their primary years she had an opportunity to teach art.
She took as many workshops as possible to gain knowledge and asked available art teachers advice by visiting their classrooms. Although limited it was the beginning of her teaching career. It was not until she moved to Dallas where she and her husband took jobs teaching at Trinity Christian Academy that she finally had the opportunity to grow and develop as an art teacher. TCA was where she gained outstanding training from art department heads and was able to go back to school to get her master degree. In order to do this, she leveled at a local community college to meet the requirements into the art graduate program at Texas Woman’s University. It was a long uphill battle as she could only to go school in the evenings and summers. The university allowed teachers to do this in a seven-year window because they realize teachers had limited time. On the home front her sons had graduated from High School and were on their own journeys’ in college. They both attended the United States Air Force Academy where they received Presidential appointments and played football. Because they were “back to back” quarterbacks for the team Mary and her husband spent as much time as possible through the sons combined six-year tenure following their teams. The landscape once again became a large influence on Mary as she was finishing her prospectus in graduate school; the colors and grandeur of the Colorado landscape gave her the motivation to complete her portfolio.
After Mary graduated she was asked to teach at a local university as an adjunct professor as she continued her full time high school teaching position as an art department chair. After doing both jobs for four years she resigned her full-time position and continue to teach as a full-time adjunct for the next ten years. It was during her tenure as a professor that allowed her growth and development as a painter that actually enabled her to begin a serious artist’s journey. Although her work gained strength it was not until Mary’s retirement that allowed her to obtain a studio that gave her ample time to concentrate as an artist. It has been during the last two years that her development has undergone significant growth and development. Her abstract expressionist style finds her natural mark the vehicle for telling her stories, stories created from the enmeshment of inner and outer world influences throughout her life.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
Mary E. Morgan
Artist Statement 2018
My influence as an abstract expressionist artist is continually impacted by my life’s journey. Teaching art as a part of that journey was significant as I researched many artists in order to be prepared to teach. This research simultaneously affected my own stylistic decisions as I finalized my graduate level education.
My artwork continues to evolve through the lens of my emotional and intellectual response to life’s experiences. The product is a reflection of the enmeshment of inner world experiences, the soul that holds all the intangible spiritual values and outer world influence, a broad spectrum; meaning, nature, people and literature. What I do in my studio is a daily process I call a “vital creative activity”. It stems from what Kandinsky said is an “inner necessity” My work is 2-D on canvas or paper. Sometimes I use mixed media to communicate a particular theme. I use acrylic and oil and often I combine these materials. Because I am inspired by the colors of nature my work is colorful. I would like to quote Helen Frankenthaler who said “it is a combined conscious and subconscious effort “and I agree that often it can be spontaneous. I would like the viewer to engage in my art and take away from whatever they feel it communicates to them.
After teaching for over 30 years I have learned that knowledge impedes progress and progress comes through hard work and consistency. It is always exciting to see what the next painting will be. Therefore, I am always expecting the unexpected to unfold in my work; I embrace the future for its mysterious unknown path that keeps me focused and challenges my creative options.
What would you recommend to an artist new to the city, or to art, in terms of meeting and connecting with other artists and creatives?
Artists can find many ways to connect with other artists through their local communities. In Texas we have state organizations one is Texas Visual Art Association. Dallas and Ft. Worth have art communities you may join for a yearly fee. If artists live too far outside of the large metroplex they can always go online and find avenues to connect through various art avenues. There are many opportunities to submit work for shows all over the country. Artists may join local art museums and take part in their opportunities to hear lectures and see professional artists work.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Currently anyone may see more of my work online through the following websites:
Artmajeur.com
Circle Foundation Magazine
Contemporary Art Gallery Online
Instagram: maryemorganart
Facebook: mary morgan
I would like for people who are interested in purchasing my work to visit my studio. You can contact me to set up an appointment. Anyone can support my work through telling others about it.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3429 N. Riley Place Hurst, Tx.
- Website: maryemorgan.com
- Phone: 214-621-9898
- Email: maryestepmorgan12@gmail.com
- Instagram: maryemorganart
- Facebook: mary morgan
Image Credit:
All the photos are mine.
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