Today we’d like to introduce you to Morgan Frew

Hi Morgan, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

Well, both of my parents were artists as well as academics. My Mom was primarily a painter, and my Dad was a master printmaker – although he also painted, drew frequently, and made sculpture as well. So, I was raised in an intellectual artistic environment. I essentially grew up around creative adults until I finally discovered some neighborhood kids down the street, when I was around the age of 6.

I always knew that I had to pursue an artistic career. What that looked like, I wasn’t sure of, until I decided to become a painter. In the beginning, I tried a lot of creative paths. Graphic design, metals, film, photography etc. But, when I arrived at painting, something clicked for me. I knew that was going to be it.

My dad had an a more than extensive library of coffee table art books. And, I remember being around 18-20, and pulling this book on Otto Dix out. His work absolutely blew my mind! And then, that led me to Max Beckmann (best painter to ever use black in my opinion) and George Grosz and Christian Schad, and all of the incredible German Expressionists.

Then I dug into his library a little more. I discovered Balthus and Francis Bacon around the same time (which also blew my mind) then Morandi and Albert York among others.

So, these are some my influences, along with many others. I could go on forever.

I just love good painting.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?

Has it been a smooth ride?

No, it has not.

I strive to be a singular artist, which is probably why I’ve been drawn to the works of artists like Francis Bacon and Frank Auerbach for so long. Artists like these, for example, can’t be categorized or grouped with their contemporaries. They stand alone, and they don’t succumb to trends in the art world. They developed their own language and do their own thing.

JMW Turner and Albert Pinkham Ryder are additional examples. Those guys were way a head of their time! They were basically abstract painters. No one had ever seen anything like that before, and that makes people uncomfortable. Also, from an art dealer’s perspective, it’s a risk. On numerous occasions I’ve had gallerists tell me that they like my work, and would like to show it, but it’s not like the other artists they exhibit. And, I think to myself, that’s the point. Thats what I’m trying to do!

I remember a great Auerbach quote where he said something along the lines of “Any serious painter working today is trying to do something new”. And that’s what I’m trying to do.

So, in that respect, I’ve made things hard for myself.

But, the greatest compliments I’ve received is when someone tells me that they’ve never seen anything like that before. Because, that’s what I’m trying to present to my viewer – something new. Something they haven’t seen before.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

With my current body of work I walk a line between representation and abstraction. I’m currently using a lot of space imagery, which I usually pull from Instagram. The work is heavily painted and displays a dry mat finish. At times I incorporate a deckled edge to invade the viewers space a bit, or I’ll frame the painting with an additional painting at the work’s edge. I very much like the idea of painting as object, so thats also why I paint on 2 inch wood panels. By using a deep support, the piece sits off of the wall and challenges the viewer’s idea of what a traditional painting can be.

What’s next?

I’m looking forward to the work I haven’t even created yet! I’m planning my next body of work, which will be autobiographical and figurative. I haven’t painted the figure in a number of years, and I’m eager to get back to that. I’m still going to paint the works in the same fashion, but the imagery and subject is going to move in a more personal direction. I have a young family now, and I’m excited to include my children and our experiences in my work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.morganfrew.com
• Instagram: @morganfrewstudio

Image Credits
Images © copyright Morgan Frew