University alumna Morgan Gray wanted a job she could dedicate herself to, and a dull 9-to-5 cubicle job was far from the answer.
“I always enjoyed drawing; I would doodle in class and make cartoons,” said Gray, who graduated in August. “Art is the only thing I’ve ever been passionate about.”
When the 22-year-old ventured from Berwick, Louisiana, to the University, she originally pursued mass communication because she wanted a degree that could take her anywhere, she said. As semesters passed, she realized she wasn’t zealous about what she was learning.
Her sophomore year, she discovered studio art, specifically painting and drawing, and knew she’d found her calling.
“I was stressed about what I was going to do with my life, and around this time I was really into art and painting,” Gray said. “It was almost all the time, almost every day.”
To Gray, having a job that brings her joy is more important than having one considered traditionally conventional, she said.
“I didn’t want to end up with a job I hated just because I was scared of being broke,” Gray said. “As long as you can make a living and don’t wake up hating your life and job every day, then it’s fine to do something other than what everyone else is doing.”
Gray’s artistic style changes frequently, as she is constantly searching for new and different forms of inspiration. She’ll see an image on Instagram or a piece by one of her favorite artists, like Andy Warhol, and want to recreate it with her own twist.
Gray is an experimental artist, with a broad portfolio already under her belt. From portraits, to fluid paintings, to pop art and ‘80s prints, Gray’s choice of media is fluid.
Gray has been using oil paints to create abstract designs on denim jackets. She redesigns jackets purchased from locally-owned shops in New Orleans by hand painting one-of-a-kind masterpieces on them, such as waves, flowers and portraits. It’s a new artistic endeavor for Gray — one she doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
Though she’s currently focusing on her jackets, Gray has also always been fond of painting portraits because of their individuality, she said.
“I feel like it’s something everyone can relate to, being human,” Gray said. “It’s interesting how everyone has specific and differentiating features. No one is exactly the same, so no portrait is exactly the same.”
She typically uses oil paints on canvas for portraits, but likes to add her own variation to each one, Gray said. She’ll paint a face made of roses, or add a crown to the subject’s head. No matter what Gray is working on, she finds way to make it her own.
Gray hopes to someday have her own studio and art gallery in New Orleans, she said.
Gray currently resides in New Orleans selling art and commissions. Her work is available on her website, morgangraystudio.com or on her Instagram, @morganpaintsstuff.

Gallery • 6 Photos

Courtesy of Morgan Gray