Meet Morgan Gray | Painter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Morgan Gray and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Morgan, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
When I was growing up I knew that I didn’t want to work at a job I hated to make money. I had always been artistic, but I saw it as more of a hobby and didn’t think I had enough talent to pursue a career as an artist. When I went to college I started as a Mass Comm major while still using my free time to paint. After my first year of college, I realized that art was one of the only things I truly enjoyed doing and would want as a career. I switched my major to Painting and Drawing and never looked back!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I think what sets me apart from other artists is that my style and subject matter is always changing and evolving. I love experimenting with different painting techniques while still having my art be recognized as my own. I get bored easily and am always on the look out for new inspiration and things to try. I also tend to stick to color palettes that I love, but I am not afraid to try new color combinations. Recently, I got the idea to combine my love of thrifting and painting by creating paintings using frames that I have thrifted.

The constant evolution of my art is a reason why I have been able to resonate with my followers and collectors. I am always taking suggestions and aim to create paintings that I love and would display in my home, while at the same time creating works that people want to see. That being said, constantly having to come up with new and exciting ideas can become tiring. I try to not be too hard on myself and just wait until inspiration strikes.

Being a professional artist has its ups and downs. When I first decided to pursue art professionally I had a lot of worries and doubts. I was undercharging for my work and barely scraping by financially. Through persistence and hard work, I was able to gather an audience that supports me and supports my craft. Being a self-employed artist has its ups and downs. Some months I sell a lot and others I sell almost nothing. I’ve learned that it’s important not to become discouraged and to keep creating and putting myself out there.

I hope that when people see my art and my business they recognize that it is the product of years of experimentation, determination and faith in myself. I feel so blessed to be doing what I love as a career and I am so grateful to everyone who has supported me along the way!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
New Orleans is unlike any city in the world. There is always something to do and new places to try. I would start off by having a “tourist” day. We would go down to the French Quarter and experience the sights and sounds in the heart of the city. The art in Jackson Square is amazing and there are always street performers so music is always in the air. My friends and I love to start our day with brunch and I would recommend either Tableau or Tujaques. We also love bouncing around the various hotels and bars for a drink. Some favorites would be St. Pats Irish Coffee House, the Carousel Bar, The Will And The Way and Pat O Briens Piano Bar. Royal Street is one of my favorite streets in New Orleans. It is full of art galleries and I love walking down it and getting inspired. A horse and carriage tour is also a fun way to take a break from walking and learn some facts about the city!

When people come to New Orleans they automatically think of Bourbon Street. While Bourbon is fun, I much prefer Frenchman street. There is live music coming out of every bar. Bamboulas is my personal favorite! Gold Mine is also in the quarter and perfect for late-night dancing.

While you never run out of things to do in the French Quarter, I think it’s important to also explore the other parts of New Orleans. Uptown Magazine Street is another one of my favorites. I love grabbing drinks and brunch at The Vintage and shopping at Funky Monkey for cool clothes and jewelry. St Charles is full of beautiful oak trees and The Columns Hotel is a perfect place to grab a cocktail and watch the streetcar pass. Barracuda is another place i love bringing guests, they have some of the best tacos and margaritas in the city.

My favorite brunch/dinner spot in the entire city has to be N7 in the Bywater. For a full day in the Bywater, I would recommend Elizabeths for brunch and N7 for dinner with some exploring in between. Bacchanal is the perfect spot to have some wine after dinner and listen to some live jazz.

City Park in Mid City is beautiful and I recommend having lunch at Blue Oak (some of my favorite barbecue) and walking through City Park or the NOMA. Wrong Iron is also my go-to for drinks in Mid-City.

I am definitely missing some suggestions but like I said, there is always something to do. You can never get bored in New Orleans!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
In high school, I read The Casson Family series by Hilary McKay. The series is about the lives of the four Casson children who were the children of two artists. I resonated with the daughter Rose, who was also an aspiring artist and used painting as a way to escape the problems of her daily life. Something about the series as a whole always stuck with me and I credit it as one of the reasons for my becoming an Artist.

Website: https://morganpaintsstuff.com

Instagram: morganpaintsstuff

Youtube: morganpaintsstuff

Other: tiktok- morganpaintsstuff

Image Credits
all are taken by me!