Shit Houses: Morgan Blair interview @ Gallery Hijinks Blog

We recently received Morgan Blair‘s new works for the Inaugural Exhibition opening on August 21st, 2010. Having only seen the work via the inter webs I was a bit taken back once in the presence of her new paintings. To find out where the inspiration and concept came to create her Shit House series of paintings we asked her a few questions. Hope you enjoy!

Interview

What kinds of things do you consider when choosing the colors to incorporate? Does the place of inspiration you draw upon affect the choice of color in each piece?

I guess I kind of get into phases with color. Lately I really like pastels and low-contrast palettes, so I’ll mix a bunch of different shades in little plastic containers and then I have those to pick from for the next couple of pieces. Some thoughts that cross my mind when considering which of these colors to use are: “Did I just use these same three colors in that last piece?” and “Oh well I really just like teal so much right now!”

I’ve noticed you use a lot of gouache, acrylic and ink on either wood or paper. What is your favorite medium, or combination of mediums to work with?

I’ve been using pretty much just acrylic with the occasional added piece of holographic paper for a little while now. I guess I just ran out of gouache, and I think I’ve decided for now that I like paper more than wood. Aside from much cheaper shipping costs, I feel bad covering up the woodgrain, and I worry about doing it justice. I did do a piece on wood for Sezio that I ended up really liking though. Sometimes it’s nice to use a surface whose natural texture and pattern can inspire and become valuable parts of the composition. But, paper is just easier to move around and stuff. Also, walls are good because they’re big and freeing.

Does music influence your artistic internal connection, or do you use it as a mere source of self indulgence? What kind of music do you get into when you are working?

I probably listen to music because I like noise and it puts me into a certain place. I don’t really listen to music to correlate aesthetics, but I suppose that could happen subconsciously anyway. Mostly I listen to whatever I’ve downloaded most recently, or a cocktail of Small Black, Paul Simon, and Lil Wayne. I collect old VHS music videos, which are doubly stimulating. The motion graphics and cryptic, mystical themes in a lot of them have been hugely influential to me, particularly Tears for Fears, “RAP” and TeenVid 2.

Tell me about your “Shit Housed” works. What do they mean? Where do you draw inspiration from for these pieces?

They’re just the latest in a series of evolving ideas about lost feelings and memories. I thought of a dream I had a long time ago where I was back in my grandmother’s house for the first time since her death, and I was walking through the rooms touching things and noticing that everything was exactly how it had been but aged into the present. Food in the refrigerator was festering and blooming out of its containers, black grime on the banister had built up into a thick black paste, dishes had accumulated in the sink and lace blouses on the dryer. I like the idea of getting to explore someone else’s lost memory that, like my own, has been unfrozen in time.

Are there any artists you are into at the moment?

Yes, a lot. But I get overwhelmed with how awesome their work is so I try not to look through their websites too often lest they paralyze my brain. I feel like I always list the same people, but I look up to them forever: Maya Hayuk, Ben Jones, Richard Colman… Lisa Frank is always a staple, too.

I read that you went to school at RISD, and now live in New York. Did you always know you would go to Rhode Island School of Design, and stay on the East Coast?

I never had my heart set on any school or coast, and I also came really close to going to MICA. One place I knew I did not want to be was Boston. It’s kind of hard to remember that time in my life… what I remember most is being completely terrified and sad about leaving my friends. I wrote about it in my live journal.

Do you feel your East Coast life has influenced your works?

I think being raised on the East Coat by a thoroughly New England family certainly influenced my personality and outlook on the world, and consequently my work. There is this sort of cold, grim New England winter mentality of just gritting your teeth and getting through it, and born and raised New Englanders seem to be known for coming off as cold and reserved at first. I’ve always had an engrained appreciation for dull hard despair and dry sarcasm, which I think usually end up coming through in my work whether I’m aware of it or not. I draw a lot of inspiration from bleak experiences, but I mostly end up portraying them with bright colors and psychedelic patterns, which I guess could be a form of visual sarcasm.

If you could work with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be? What would you two collaborate on?

Right now I’m painting a blown-up, pixelated still from Home Alone on the wall of a private residence in Brooklyn. The frame shows Macaulay Culkin with his back to the wall in the kitchen, holding a bb gun. He’s just said “This is it. Don’t get scared, now” and is about to shoot Joe Pesci in the crotch through the doggy-door. So, in a way I feel like I’m collaborating with John Hughes, which is all I want out of life. Also, I hope he wouldn’t be upset about any possible copyright infringement. I’ve also been wanting to collaborate with my grandfather for a little while, who makes jigsaw puzzles among many other things.