We recently connected with Morgan Bukovec and have shared our conversation below.

Morgan, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

Reflecting on this past year, I am feeling proud of the meaningful projects that have been in my path. From hosting my first large scale Art Fest + Vendor Market on the shores of Lake Erie in my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio (@lakesideflea), to kick-starting my online art community (@lavalamplounge), to investing more time and energy into my own creative practice through joining a work-trade program at the Kiln Room, to completing my first artist residency at Pop Life Cleveland, and being awarded an Emerging Solo Show Exhibition at the McDonough Museum of Art in Youngstown, Ohio – I am feeling the burn of a creative fire fueling inside of me.

Morgan, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Morgan (she/her) and I am an artist working, living, and teaching in Columbus, Ohio. I work with found objects across mediums including collage, textiles, and installation, focusing on the themes of identity, storytelling, and fleeting moments and objects across time. I was recently awarded a 2024 Emerging Artist Solo Exhibition at the McDonough Museum of Art in Youngstown, Ohio and invited to participate in a group exhibition at The Muckenthaler Cultural Center titled Unsavory, which highlights the food and service industry. I feel most proud of my art work series titled: “are you on the menu.”

This series is the result of the past decade of my work in the service industry, aiming to highlight the power of words and personal reclamation. This work has been featured in publications such as: Teen Vogue, 86 Logic, CAN Journal, and Sidecar Junkaroo.

Currently, I am building my free online community that is Lava Lamp Lounge and starting a new art work series about hormonal birth control. Along with building “The Lounge” and making in my studio, I am hosting art festivals and flea markets to support local creators and small buiz owners in Lake County, Ohio at Headlands Beach State Park – Lake Side Flea.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When looking up the definition of “resilience,” I found this phrase: “the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.” As an artist and creative, I have built up a strong resilience through risk taking, leaning into fears, and allowing myself real rest. It is not just one story to share, but countless stories that bundle into a swirl of experiences that have grown my strength. I have applied my art work (spending lots of money and time) to many gallery shows and opportunities to only be denied entry, which has felt (at times) like a big, bold FAILURE written across my forehead. This is where the toughness sets in. I feel burnout, self-doubt, and in these moments I give myself grace, love, and remind myself that this denial does not define me. I recover and rest. As an artist. experiencing the waves of this game is part of the work and I try to move into a space of self-love rather then self-doubt. This has been a journey and I know that if I keep showing up for my creativity, inner-child artist, and act with playfulness in my studio, then I am growing.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My mission that drives my creative journey is: show up, do the work, tell your story. I enjoy experimenting with new art mediums and finding meaningful connections when making work. I appreciate how art is a tool for communication, storytelling, and building empathy. This drives my practice and encourages me to use my own art work for self healing, discovery, and play.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://morganbukovec.com/
• Instagram: @morganbukovec
• Facebook: @morganbukovecart
• Other: Join my free online art community: https://morganbukovec.substack.com/ Support my work and explore my online shop: https://morganbukovec.com/shop

Image Credits
Photos by: Bianca Lea Morra Photography