Resiliency and the color pink
Deer friends,
Happy Thursday! Thursdays have recently become my favorite day of the week. The excitement of releasing new work, the puzzle that is attempting to figure out social media algorithms, and the creativity in piecing all the work together has given me structure and a sense of self-imposed accountability which I had been craving. I work best under a bit of pressure, so a weekly timeline has done wonders for me. This week I’ve been reflecting on resiliency and what it means to push through difficult times. I’m also counting down the hours until I get to see the Georgia O’keeffe exhibition in San Diego tomorrow and can’t wait to share some thoughts on it in next week’s newsletter. In anticipation of seeing some of the work of my favorite artist, I’ve been thinking about her subject matter regarding desert foliage and abstract florals, and let it inspire this week’s print.
Here’s the latest print:
Resilience
digital drawing, 2023
In the last year, the earth has suffered unprecedented rain and fire, causing flooding and destruction on a massive scale. Reflecting on my own and respectively small life, I too have weathered strange storms. Incomparable to natural disasters obviously, but strangely parallel. I’ve watched as opportunities crumbled before me, chances diminished, and hard work swept away from my own choices, inaction, and just plain old bad luck. And it’s left me feeling crumpled, defeated.
This spring I moved back to Southern California. In the first couple weeks I did a lot of hiking. And I kept seeing these weeds. Greyish green stalks with dagger-shaped leaves. Covered in tiny spikes and about as malicious looking as a plant can get, each stalk reaching around 5 feet tall. But blooming from each of these plants was a bright flower. Purple or fuchsia, hundreds of thistles clumped together to form a brilliant bulb. They seemed to glow, sprouting from the rugged stems beneath them. They looked so out of place to me. Something so beautiful growing from a crude, spiky weed. I found out later they were called Cardoons, a cousin of artichokes, funny enough. They covered the hills in thousands. And I felt such a strange kinship to them.
They’re not considered beautiful the way poppies or daisies are. They’re not even considered flowers. Just weeds. But I think I love them even more for that very reason. I found their resilience, their abnormal beauty, and their ability to weather turmoil with ease and grace inspiring. I drew this piece as a reminder to myself that in times of hardship, our capacity to find beauty and grow stronger shines as a testament to the remarkable power of resilience.
On to the next…
Last weeks post was filled with warm yellows, oranges, and greens— the neutral colors that I tend to fill my home and wardrobe with. This week I was feeling a bit more contemplative about colors, particularly red and pink. Usually you’d be hard pressed to find anything red or pink in my home. I own maybe two pink tops and one red blazer set, and I’ve only held onto the set because it’s vintage and I can’t bear to part with it. These colors are ones that I never gravitate towards when it comes to my own style. But I like pink and red a lot, actually. In art I’m moved more by warm toned work: yellow, orange, brown, and yes, pink. But I’m not a pink girl.
Growing up I always felt that liking pink or dresses or typically “girly” things put me in a box. And I hated it. I hate boxes in general really, but I hated the girly box more than anything. Girly things were less intellectual, less capable. Bows and frills and the color pink meant they were weaker and shallower and vapid. So I painted my pink walls blue (turquoise technically) and dedicated more free time to sports (soccer, track, cross country). And I declared I wasn’t a pink girl. Wasn’t a girly girl.
But what if I am? Not all the time— I still don’t really love the color pink in my wardrobe if I’m being honest— but can’t I be sometimes? Can’t I paint pink flowers and wear a pink skirt and show up just as capable as if it were all in blue? Why do we demonize femininity? Interpret softness as weakness and pink as foolishness? And it’s not an us vs. them thing. I think we all do it; disregard certain work/concepts/people because they express as too feminine, too pink. It’s heartbreaking. Pink is beautiful. Red is powerful. And the expression of femininity and masculinity shouldn’t be the deciding factor in whether or not something is valuable. I want to remind myself of that more often, to think about it more in my work, in my wardrobe, in my daily interactions. This week I gathered some art and images that feel sweet and soft and fun and serious. Because I think it’s important to remember you can be all those things at once.
This week’s inspo:
This week I’m highlighting:
Some of my favorite female artists
This weeks artist highlight is a bit different. Continuing with the theme of the weekly roundup, I thought it would be fun to do a highlight of a few of my favorite female artists. These artists are ones that inspire me through their ability to convey intense emotions through color, gesture, and form. Instances of symbolism and themes of mysticism, along with subject matter blending nature and the inner self captivate me. While my own work tends more toward simplicity and realism, I am most inspired by abstraction, expressionism, and surrealism, and these artists are truly some of the very best.
Hilma af Klimt
(1862-1944)
af was a Swedish artist and mystic whose profound exploration of spirituality and abstraction paved the way for avant-garde art. Considered one of the earliest abstract artists in Western art history, she defied conventions, producing intricate, symbolic artworks characterized by vibrant colors, intricate geometry, and esoteric themes. Her connection to mysticism led her to explore spirituality and the unseen within her work, long before such ideas gained widespread acceptance. Her innovative approach and groundbreaking concepts paved the way for many abstract artists.
This piece is titled The Ten Largest, No. 8, Adulthood
Xiyao Wang
(1992-present)
Wang is a Chinese contemporary artist based in Berlin. Focused on the intersection of tradition and innovation, she blends classical techniques with modern perspectives. Her pieces often reflect a combination of Eastern and Western influences, are highly detailed, and establish a distinct visual language. Through her work, Wang explores themes ranging from cultural identity to the human experience, inviting viewers to contemplate both the familiar and the unknown.
This piece is titled Dawn Blossoms Plucked at Dusk No. 2
Joan Mitchell
(1925-1992)
Mitchell was an American abstract expressionist painter celebrated for her dynamic and emotionally charged works. Her large-scale canvases marked by bold brushwork, vivid color palettes, and an intense emotional energy led her to become a vital figure in the post-World War II art scene. Mitchell's art is known for its ability to convey raw emotion and a deep connection to nature, often drawing inspiration from landscapes and memories. Her work is bold, colorful, expressive, and in person appears larger than life. Seeing her show at SFMOMA last year solidified her as one of my all time favorite artist, and I constantly look to her work for color inspiration. I have this print, Blueberry, hanging above my desk in my studio.
This piece is titled Blueberry
Frida Kahlo
(1907-1954)
Kahlo was a Mexican painter known for her iconic self-portraits filled with symbolic imagery, personal experiences, and cultural and political commentary. Overcoming adversity due to physical ailments and life's challenges, Kahlo channeled her pain and resilience into her art. Her use of color, symbolic imagery, and fusion of surrealism and folk art created a sort of visual language that conveyed her inner world. Kahlo's self-portraits continue to inspire conversations on identity, gender, and empowerment. I’m most drawn to bold colors, botanical themes, and surrealist symbolism when I consider the art that I like and admire, so Kahlo has always been at the top of my list of influences, particularly with the piece I’m releasing this week.
This piece is titled Roots
Heather Day
(1989-present)
Day is a contemporary American artist known for her abstract mixed media work that bridge the gap between painting and nature. With a focus on fluidity and gestural expression, Day's works evoke a sense of movement and exploration. Drawing inspiration from the natural world and her own synesthesia, she translates emotions onto canvas through her dynamic compositions, vibrant colors, and experimental techniques. I came across Heather Day’s work back in 2017 and have been amazed by her use of color, ability to convey emotion through brush stroke, and use of mixed media ever since. Her most recent body of work involves a process where she paints on, cuts up, and then sews back together the canvas, creating pieces that juxtapose rigid lines and soft forms.
This piece is titled Scattering Light No.4
Helen Frankenthaler
(1928-2011)
Frankenthaler was an American painter who was a key player in the Abstract Expressionist movement and Color Field painting. Known for her groundbreaking "soak-stain" technique, she applied thinned pigments directly onto canvas, creating luminous and ethereal compositions. Frankenthaler's art blurred the lines between abstraction and representation, blending landscapes and emotions with her exploration of color, form, gesture, and space.
This piece is titled Sea Level
Until next week,
Morgan