Meet Morgan Lovette | Mixed Media Abstract Painter

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

Hi Morgan, is there something you believe many others might not?
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”

I like this question because I tend to buck the norm and enjoy thinking outside the narrative. Rebellious at heart. I hear a lot of focus and emphasis put on people pursuing their dreams with the underlying message that the workload will somehow be different than the 9-5 they may hold now. There’s an expectation, whether clearly stated or simply implied, that if you make a job of your passion, it will be smooth sailing and all fulfilling for us. I couldn’t disagree with this more. I’d argue that if you do chase after your dream, which I hope you do, you will work far harder, longer, and take on far more emotional hits. This is because you care so deeply about it. You will struggle to not get completely wrapped up in your passion. I could chat with anyone about the blood, sweat, and tears involved in starting your own business, especially a business so intimate as sharing your creations with the world, but I will also be quick to tell them it’s my favorite adventure in life thus far. The payoff for the work is so satisfying precisely because so much has been invested.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As previously mentioned, my work is largely inspired by music. The founder of the School of American Ballet, George Balanchine, created a whole style of ballet that had never been done before and his main inspiration was to “see the music, hear the dance”. That has seeped into everything I’ve done creatively. Although I will always love dancing, painting truly fits me as a person far better than dancing ever did. I’m an introvert and always found myself loving the studio more than the stage. The corps de ballet over the spotlight. When I started painting, I found a freedom I never felt through dancing, and that was creating something outside of myself for others to enjoy. I actually tend to think that most artists are introverts because they seek out ways to communicate without having to use their words.

Something I think sets me apart as an artist is actually not having a formal education in painting. This has created a lot of hurdles for me of course, but I almost enjoy taking on those challenges because I see a real need for this in the arts. Breaking through a lot of what I call the “posh” or the pretentiousness in the art world to simply create what I feel I was created to create. Letting go of what some may think is necessary before you can create something beautiful is something I’ve learned over the years and I have to continue to remind myself of that. So, I would say I hope to lead in being transparent and genuine. I don’t even like it when people talk about my work as my “brand”. I hope I always lead in letting people know that I’m just a regular person who feels the absolute necessity to create what I do and that is enough. Take it, leave it, love it, or hate it, as long as I’m being true to myself and creating what I’m personally inspired to create, I know that’s where I’ll find rest and joy.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live in Raleigh, NC, so maybe not applicable to the readers, but I’m a huge local small business fan. I would say my favorites are the Optimist coffee shop, Brew Coffee Bar, and Iris coffee shop for a caffeine boost. Oakwood pizza box is my favorite pizza in Raleigh. Ish Delicatessen is my weekly Saturday morning stop for bacon, egg, & cheese. Smokestacks is incredible for all meals. My favorite bars are William & Company and Person St Bar. I love the NCMA, of course, and CAM. Dorothea Dix Park is a favorite. The Rialto is my favorite small independent theater. I could list way more and give more details on the reasons I love them, but ultimately, I just love the owners and the culture and the environments they’ve worked to create.

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?
Absolutely! I couldn’t agree more. I would say the most influential impact on me was attending the School of American Ballet in NYC. I have a bit of an odd upbringing. I moved away from my family and home in Raleigh, NC to attend the School of American Ballet in NYC at 14 years old. Because of this, I grew up fast and grew up in and around the arts. I loved every bit of it. A true playground for fostering young creatives. So my first artistic pursuit was dancing and I would say my first love, music. Music was at the center of everything we did as dancers and I was trained to listen to music and see movement. Using our bodies to physically depict what the music made us feel. Today as an abstract painter, I am largely still inspired by my first love. I aim to translate what I feel from music, but this time through color, texture, movement, etc.

A client recently left me a note reading “Music seeps into your art to me. You put music everywhere disguised as color” and I think that’s the best compliment I could hope to receive.

So although there are countless people coming to mind that will forever deserve my gratitude, SAB takes the cake.

Website: www.morganelizabeth.art

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