Jason Taylor Morgan

Artist’s Statement

Painting came to me late in life, at 66, during the early days of Covid. Retired, bored with Wordle and other quarantine distractions, and stuck on my sixth novel, I acted on a whim—or perhaps a sudden knowing—and ordered acrylic paint, canvas boards, and an easel from Amazon. Though I’d never painted before, something in me recognized this as an opening I had to step through. I’ve always had a passion for recognizing life-changing moments and leaping into the unknown.

Teaching myself to paint, I’ve drawn on a lifetime of creativity, a passion for beauty, a keen visual sense, and a writer’s perspective. My mother, a Classical pianist, profoundly shaped my artistic vision, instilling in me a love for nuance and emotion. An unusual form of dyslexia has sparked my spontaneity and improvisation, urging me to experience life with deep feeling, intuition, and artistic urgency. Writing novels in the first person has taught me to inhabit perspectives beyond my own, and this depth has found an exhilarating new outlet in painting.

My first serious piece—a spontaneous abstract—rose out of me from somewhere between instinct and magic. Shockingly, it looked good. Within just six months of painting, I developed my own painting techniques, leaving brushes behind. A month later, I sold my first piece. Not long after, I became the Guest Artist and then a Resident Artist at The Cloverdale Arts Alliance Gallery in Cloverdale, CA. Everything happened quickly. My journey as an artist seemed to take on a life of its own—and it still does.

My technique is tactile and instinctive. I apply paint to a large, flat surface in endless variations of color and medium, then I thoughtfully press the paper into the paint with my hands—sometimes subtle and delicate, other times bold and expressive. My paintings are what I call “visual poetry”—journeys and visits to the ethereal world. Over time, I’ve developed a “sixth sense” for where to press, slide, dab, or twist the paper. Some pieces I leave as they are, while others evolve through thoughtful gestures and aftereffects. I approach each painting with a vague, intuitive idea and let spontaneity take over.

My influences: the abstract expressionists— but mostly my own inner visions. My art background: nothing formal—just my literary and creative mind and deep appreciation for beauty. While writing novels takes years, painting offers immediate and profound gratification.

This creative journey continues to teach me trust, risk, abstract self-confidence, artistic instead of literary visual expression, and the beauty of tapping into one’s instincts, as well as embracing the unknown.

Born in Boston in 1955, my life has always been shaped by creativity and exploration. I raised my two magnificent daughters in Wellesley, MA. I am retired from three meaningful careers: tech marketing agency executive, counselor for at-risk youth, and energy healer and teacher. I’ve written six novels (see my work at jasontaylormorgan-author.com) and am working on my seventh.

At 70, I live in the charming, art-focused North Sonoma County city of Cloverdale, CA, where I’m an abstract artist, Cloverdale Arts Alliance Gallery co-director on the Board of Directors, novelist, and mentor to young writers. With thirteen exhibits to date, I feel deeply grateful for this unexpected and wondrous chapter of life.