We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Morgan Doscher. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Morgan below.
Morgan, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?
Mo Knows Marketing Agency, LLC (doing business as Mo Knows Art) has been a brand in the making my whole life. Not just as my name tag but as a statement of knowledge and the ability to learn. If I don’t already know how, then I will find out, as I have gone even further to master many art forms. Art styles led to photography, which led to graphic design and web development. From there I grew my experience in marketing and videography.
Although my name is Morgan, I have embraced the nickname “Mo” from a young age. Originally “Moe Money,” per my peers, which was a surprising compliment with my shy demeanor as the new girl. Over time I realized it was easier to share my nickname in an introduction for it to be remembered correctly. For some reason I must look like a “Megan?” Hence my insistence on a quick name as I moved from school to school, where I dropped the “e” because it is me and not as society would like it to be. As my life progressed into the workforce, it continued to be embraced. My professional career had since grown as a graphic designer, where in the offices and within client communication, I have been known as the creative “Mo” who clearly knows how to get it done efficiently and effectively. Now I sign some of my more abstract and playful art as “Mo” while leaving my full name, “Morgan René Doscher,” to be signed wrapping around my illustrative work.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I see the never-ending system of accomplishing anything in life as an art. Seeking the challenge to overcome any obstacle has been a passion of mine. I love to show if someone else can do it, then so can I, but only if I try. The process has been the same from my first to more current pieces: brainstorm, research, conceptualize, develop, plan, produce, and repeat until polished.
As an artist first and foremost, I have had paid commissions for hundreds of different types of art. Commissioned paintings on canvas, wood, walls, surfboards, skateboards, and apparel were the start to a long line of diversified mediums. Custom illustrations have been the primary part of my collection. Genres have ranged from impressionism, realism, pop, conceptual, expressionism, digital, art deco, and graffiti.
Abstract art was actually the most difficult one for me to develop because it never seemed like a challenge. That is until I realized that unknown essence was the specific thing that made it worth diving into. After having painter’s block while in college and working full time as a freelance graphic designer, I decided to attempt to understand the abstract world. I closed my eyes and grabbed a handful of paints. I let go for the first time as an artist, going against my process, and it was exhilarating! Yet another lesson that there is always more.
Experimentation has always been the joy, center, and constant element in my work. “How do I narrow down my talent to one genre or medium?” I would ask. Better yet, “Why should I?” Not only within fine art styles but also with different types of creative skills.
Documenting the world through photography has also been a large part of my developed knowledge. My family always had film cameras and framed photographs from travels around the world. When enjoying the places that I would have never known about and then hearing the almost ancient stories behind them, it inspired me to capture memories of my own. Many disposable cameras and trips to the photo developing shop gave me satisfaction in a different exciting way from my fine art. Once digital cameras came out, I was gifted my own. Personally, I began to grow my experience of photography and was appointed the family photographer. I eventually got a DSLR, and the professional knowledge became a dream within reach. I got hired for photos quickly with events, families, weddings, couples, and graduations.
After graduating from the Academy of Art, Science, and Technology as an advanced art major and completing freelance art and design projects, I decided to go to college for business. I turned down a full-ride nursing scholarship to follow the direction of my heart. From Horry-Georgetown Technical College in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with a year of business credits, I packed up and moved to Sarasota, Florida, where art culture was a staple. Close to the Ringling College of Art and Design, a world-renowned school, I went to an even better choice, the State College of Florida Sarasota-Manatee for Graphic Design Technology. All of my major professors were accomplished artists, designers, and photographers who taught with emphasis on their technical real-life knowledge over theory. Business owners and print shop technicians always guessed I went to SCF instead of Ringling because my files and work showcased excellence.
Sarasota was a huge part of the growth in my career and kept me there learning for 7 years. I worked for many companies in-house as a graphic designer and marketing coordinator while accomplishing my Associate of Science. I won art show accolades, was top of my class, and was an honoree for the Outstanding Graduate Award. After my remote freelance positions designing sports apparel, magazines, logos, and print and digital layouts, I got a full-time graphic design position in-house for a tumbler company. After perfecting the insert cut template to have a seamless printed finish when sealed inside, I was put in charge of the rebranding from Covocup to be Covo Drinkware with a B2B power appeal. The sales tripled within a month, and then they were accepted as a preferred supplier for retail.
I went on to work for Soicher Marin, a custom print and framing art distributor. This is where I created unique works of art using the vast collection of vintage and modern art files. Mainly, I was responsible for scanning new work, touching up files for reproduction, and editing for a curated collection to be presented and produced. Also was honored to manage the e-commerce and vintage art sales system when becoming a vendor for Wayfair and Anthropologie. Along with designing marketing materials and large-format printed paper/canvas production.
The job that I learned the most from came next at Gulfcoast Signs of Sarasota. I worked in the manufacturing shops art department as the lead creative designer, large-format print production manager, and vinyl installation technician. Signage was quickly integrated into my life as it is used everywhere! The range of sign types could blow your mind if you never noticed, as I didn’t until being in the industry. Both illuminated and non-illuminated. Interior and exterior. Monuments big and small, building cabinets, channel letters, printed vinyl, and the all-powerful wayfinding directionals.
During the pandemic I moved back to Myrtle Beach, SC, and started working at Tyson Sign Company as a creative designer. I was no longer in the shop working hands-on. Instead, I worked solely within the art department. The biggest impact my work had on the company’s growth was being the lead designer as a preferred supplier during Sun Outdoors countrywide signage rebranding development and rollout. Hundreds of campgrounds, thousands of signs, and one company to design, manufacture, and coordinate installation. The site surveys and remote client communication were managed with meticulous file keeping and reliable, driven teamwork.
I have since gone full-time into my freelance remote creative services. Starting Mo Knows Marketing Agency, LLC was a milestone. Over a decade of full-time employment while freelancing part-time and maintaining a semi-stable personal life is just the start. I am still learning, but I have so much to offer a vast diversity of businesses simultaneously. Impacting the world as much as possible is always my goal. Custom fine art projects have always given me the most joy and pride. Which is why it’s exciting to be doing more of my favorite gift. Photography and videography are another large source and, dare I say, runner-up in ranking of skills. Last but not least, marketing endeavors have been the backbone of my company. Design in general truly has the power to share stories with the communities we live in. This category encompasses not only the experienced graphic design services of mine but is more of an umbrella for all of my work.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist for myself is feeling the impact of the visual expression and how it is understood. It is so interesting to hear an audience’s interpretation of a work of art, picture, or even a design. If I did my job right, then the majority would explain it in such a way as was intended. Yet the most beautiful aspect of sharing my work comes from seeing a surprisingly different reaction or explanation from a viewer. How insignificant would a goal be if it was easy and simple? I believe art is the most complex example of a thought or feeling. Words do not describe the deep insight we have to offer in communication. Whereas the composition of color, lines, scale, texture, subject, or lack thereof evokes a subconscious perspective. Then it can be described aloud or kept internal and only intimately felt.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
A lesson I had to unlearn is to not be so hard on myself. It is in my nature to critique my work the harshest and to push as much as possible. After years of basically being a workaholic, I got sick for months on end. My whole life I have been healthy as a dog and worked overtime. Eventually that caught up to me. I had to take care of myself personally before my professional effort could be a well-oiled machine. My mental health impacted my physical health. Saying “no” to extra projects and pricing my time inline with valuing myself helped me heal. Enjoying nature, remembering to breathe throughout the day, eating what affected me positively, and listening to my body’s needs for movement or stillness are some of the lessons I replaced.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.moknowsart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morgan.doscher/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/morgan.doscher/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moknowsart/
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/moknowsart/
