Ms. Smarty Pants Know It All

One of my favorite things about the art shows put on by Blue Line Studio is that they regularly introduce me to the newer artists on the Chicago scene. Here’s a piece that I really like from a first-time exhibitor.

Jesse Morgan has been a commercial graphic designer around Chicago for years. Recently, he’s decided to share his personal artworks as well.

This one, Traveler (18 x 24), caught my eye from across the room because it reminded me of a wooden gameboard. Sometime I see those in antique shops for games like parcheesi, cribbage, backgammon, checkers, etc. If I’m lucky, there will be boards for multiple games all drawn on the same surface. If I’m really lucky, there will be boards for games I don’t even recognize.

I like the idea that gameboards connect neighbors and communities. For well-aged wooden ones especially, I like the energies that come from them. There have been countless players who have sat around that board, concentrating over contests of strategy and chance.

So that’s what went through my head before I even got to this piece. When I saw the title, I thought of game pieces moving through their journeys. I also saw the geographic and map-like features in the painting. It seems like there are fields and farms as well as town plazas and buildings.

I spoke briefly to the artist, and he said that he was thinking about different dimensions and spaces when composing this piece. I can see that too.

Even though it’s acrylic on canvas, I think it’s remarkable that it doesn’t come across that way at all. The browns and yellows play more like washes. There’s a great overall warmth and history that radiates from the piece. I have the picture open on the screen as I’m writing this. It still draws me in and makes me smile.

Tags: Art //