Born and raised just ten minutes down the road, I recently moved back home and was thrilled when the shop owner, Stephanie Fusco, approached me with the idea of transforming part of the shop into an exhibition space. As someone who often works with found objects, antiques, repurposed belongings, and most notably in this scenario, flowers, exhibiting in the flower shop felt like a dream come true. With its mix of plants, artisan goods and unique objects thoughtfully arranged, this environment reflects the same sense of nostalgia that informs my work.

Behind Her Lenses specifically focuses on my perception of these feelings. Whether through still life, figurative compositions, or a combination of the two, I am interested in expressing my sense of self through paint, my work features emotionally resonant objects, gathered through thrifting, antiquing, and gifting. With a focus on color, I paint the connection within these inanimate objects, sharing what I see within them. I want to repurpose and breathe new life into things that may have otherwise been thrown away. Over time, many of these objects have taken on a life of their own, my natural connection to them strengthening as I include them in my work.

Having recently graduated with my BFA and beginning to navigate life as an emerging artist, I have been eager to take on the challenge of creating a non-traditional gallery space, and I hope for the opportunity to do it again some day.

~Morgan