Meet May Artist of the Month – Morgan Hill

Posted on by Mandy Wilson

Our May Artist of the Month, Morgan Hill, celebrates the pleasure of excess and indulged desires with her line of jewelry and wearable art – Bad Habits. With a wide range of aesthetic and conceptual influences from 90’s pop culture, horror films, and couture fashion to her Southern Christian upbringing in an extended family of farmers in Eastern Arkansas, Morgan uses color and form to create incredibly cravable pieces you’ll want to wear on repeat.

Read on to learn more about Morgan!

Artists are the guides to expression. Everyone has to find ways to express themselves, but artists clear the path.

What is your artistic background?
Visual art is the only thing I’ve ever done. I started off my art school experience at Memphis College of Art as a Drawing major. After a couple of years, I realized that finding a job with a drawing degree might be difficult so I thought I should switch to design. I then went to study Interior Design at a different school. I found working on the computer the majority of the day very hard. The third time is the charm I guess. I finally graduated with a BFA in Woodworking and Furniture Design from the University of Arkansas Little Rock under the guidance of Mia Hall and David Clemons. It was the perfect mix of design and art and was very hands-on.

What are your favorite materials to work with/types of items to make?
 I work primarily in wood. It’s just my “material instinct”, you know, that bond that one makes with a medium. I like to work pretty loosely with small sculptures.

From where do you draw your inspiration?
It depends on what I’m working on, sculpture or jewelry, but I pull a lot from entertainment and media, current and from my childhood. I also tend to work out trauma in my work, so I would say that adversities move me as well.

What is your creative process like?
 Light bulb vector above the head, scribbles in a sketchbook, life-size drawing or drawing on the material itself, heavy machinery, stand back, change, destruction of some kind, apply finishes, like and, then often, dislike.

What is the most rewarding thing about your practice?
Definitely working in a space with other incredible artists. They are such a huge support in so many ways.

And what challenges do you face as an artist?
I think money is the biggest issue currently. I make sacrifices to do what I love, which means having an extremely modest lifestyle. That being said, I feel so grateful and lucky every day to be full-time in my studio.

Outside of your practice, do you do any other creative activities/what are your interests?
Most of my extracurriculars are creative activities. Hell, going to the grocery store is even a creative activity though. I spend a lot of time costuming, doing karaoke, foraging mushrooms, throwing parties, and helping manage my studio building.

What role does the artist have in society?
I can’t think of something more important than expressing yourself, other than eating or basic acts of survival. Artists are the guides to expression. Everyone has to find ways to express themselves, but artists clear the path. Artists make life pleasurable. They entertain, they allow us to look unique and have unique spaces, and they bring joy and all the other emotions. Big, important role.

What is art/craft to you?
To me, art is my sanity, my center, my livelihood. I certainly feel lost/unlike myself when I am not making.

Could you tell us about your favorite artist or artist that inspires you?

I am surrounded by a community of artists where I live near Penland School of Craft. I think I am the most inspired by the ones I see every day in my studio and visit theirs down the street. Most of my friends are artists, and I am fortunate also to have a partner that is a craftsperson.  I think currently my arts community as a whole is my favorite artist.

You can shop a selection of Morgan’s work in our Store at 5645 Butler Street, Pittsburgh and online. You can find Morgan online at morganhillcreative.com and on Instagram at @morganhillcreative and @badhabitsbymorganhill.