Morgan Irons
Montana
Morgan Irons, Bone Man, oil, 36 x 48.
Art Education: Self-taught with workshops from artists Jeremy Lipking and Mark Boedges.
Style: Representational, figurative, and narrative.
Creative Spark: I live on a retired ranch property in a beautiful Montana canyon. There are no phones, no television, and living here requires work. I chose this lifestyle in a deliberate attempt to discover the importance of a connection to the land that is often lost in current life. I am by nature a figurative painter, so when I decided to paint solely from the property, I began exploring figures in the landscape. I am creating a narrative about the working family out West.
Second-Choice Career: Writer.
Other Passions: Reading and writing.
Best Advice Received: From a mentor of mine, Michael Ome Untiedt: “Be more than an image-maker; true artists are a pipeline to the muse.”
Pet Peeve: The “starving artist” lie.
Quirkiest Trait: My paintings usually begin with the title.
Mantra or Motto: From painter Harvey Dunn: “The only thing that’s true about anything is the spirit of it. And if we get that and miss a lot of other things, we’ll be telling more of the truth about it than if we got all the facts and not the spirit.”
Favorite Studio Music: Jason Isbell.
Favorite Work by Another Artist: THE HOMESTEADER’S WIFE by Harvey Dunn is a current favorite. His use of large shapes and the gesture of movement is something you don’t often see in contemporary work.
Future Goals: Create art with greater sensitivity.
Price Range: $400 to $9,000.
Representation: www.morganirons.com.
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- Morgan Irons, Field Waltz, oil, 18 x 24.
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- Morgan Irons, The Farmer’s Daughter, oil, 14 x 11.
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- Morgan Irons, The Gardener, oil, 10 x 8.
This story was featured in the September 2017 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art September 2017 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
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