Artist's Statement

I’ve always been fascinated by how we perceive the world—how everything around us is constantly shifting, moving, and changing, and how our minds work to make sense of it all. The way we interpret fragments of experience and turn them into meaning continues to inspire me. In my work, I try to capture some of that movement and fluidity, those fleeting moments that resonate with me. I often begin with formal concerns, but stories tend to emerge as the pieces develop. I like to build spaces that viewers can move through—using multiple perspectives and transparent layers that invite each person to complete the work in their own way.

My subject matter continues to grow and evolve, reflecting an ever-expanding curiosity about life in flux. This diversity—whether expressed through figures, animals, landscapes, or abstracted forms—is always connected by a painterly approach that emphasizes gesture, movement, and emotion. I’m drawn to the tactile process of painting and drawing, allowing marks and layers to reveal the passage of time and the complexity of perception.

Drawing from observation is, for me, a way to record personal experience. Over time, these visual notes build up into a kind of map of perception—something deeply individual to each artist. I also see a strong connection between drawing and other practices that rely on repetition and hand–eye coordination. There’s something about doing something over and over that deepens intuition and sensitivity to the world around us. We practice what we love, always trying to get closer to it and better at it.

Nature has been an important part of my life for as long as I can remember. Animals and other living creatures often find their way into my work—they live quiet, secret lives in the natural world that I find endlessly moving. I’ve always felt that the more vulnerable a being is, the more it deserves our care and protection. Through my art, I hope to honor these creatures and encourage a sense of empathy, awareness, and compassion for them.

Artists who have deeply influenced me include Marcel Duchamp, Alberto Giacometti, Paul Cézanne, and Jenny Saville. Like the Cubists, they share an aesthetic rooted in drawing and an understanding of the physical presence of things. I’m especially drawn to how Giacometti revealed not just form, but the space around it—the way his layered, transparent structures seem to breathe. Their approaches continue to inspire my own search for clarity, movement, and the feeling of life in flux.

Mary W. Broadie Morgan, BFA, MFA

marymorganart.com