Meet Connor Morgan | Designer & Student

We had the good fortune of connecting with Connor Morgan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Connor, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
This is a great question. I feel like, for me, finding that balance has always been a challenge. I was living on my own from age 17, so my concept/idea of balance looked much different than most people, I would say. For years, I would have to dedicate what little time I had towards being creative in some way – whether it was painting small projects, exploring galleries/museums, or researching different artists – I tried to stay current with the arts and have always made it a priority to nurture that side of me. Much of my early career was focused around surviving and climbing whatever social ladder was in front of me: working long hours, taking on more than I could handle, trying to please everyone and do everything. It was exhausting. Even then, there was still a lot that felt imperfect and unbalanced.

Now that I’m in my early 30’s, my concept of balance looks much different. I prioritize myself, my interests, and my peace of mind/serenity more than I ever have before. I don’t go out partying as much and I find it easier saying “no” to people and things than I did when I was in my twenties.

Balance is the most important thing in my life right now. You can’t pour from an empty cup, so I do my best to make sure I’m taken care of – my mind and body are taken care of- before I commit to anything else.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My art has changed so much over the years. In my early High School/College days, my art consisted of primarily Acrylic Paintings. I was painting a lot of portraits, surrealism, it was pretty fluid. I thought I would become one of those kids who went to art school and painted full-time. It seemed like such a cool life in my head. But life had other plans for me.

As I mentioned previously, I moved out when I was 17 and began working full-time in retail for Urban Outfitters. I need to both support myself financially but also wanted to be immersed in the world of arts, music, culture, so these worlds seemed to merge both personally and professionally, if that makes sense. I would take classes at community college and then eventually moved to San Francisco. I worked my way up in retail/sales and began working in Luxury Retail for various different fashion brands. I loved it, but it was exhausting. There were long hours, stressful sales goals and while it was a. creative environment, it was also very draining. I rarely had the time and energy to create any artwork in my personal time.

The biggest shift for me came just a few years ago, actually when I made the decision to get sober. For a long time, my life was spinning out of control. I was partying non-stop, drinking, using all kinds of drugs, running my life into the ground. It was a very dark and lonely time for me.

Now, I have an incredible support system and community. I have this amazing job at Louis Vuitton where I meet all kinds of people and connect with a diverse range of clients.

Simultaneously, I made the decision to return to school and am studying Interior Architectural Design. My creative interests have changed so much over the years, and while I still love and enjoy painting, I’m in a phase in my life where I’m able to experiment and discover other mediums and practices. Right now, I’ve been working on several different architecture projects for my classes, most recently this Memorial Project where I was able to create a Memorial Proposal for the City of Los Angeles to honor and commemorate the lives of those lost during the Chinese Massacre of 1871. Architecture has proven to be a really exciting and challenging field for me…it combines my love for design and feels both fulfilling AND purposeful. I’m at a stage in my life where the professional work that I want to pursue needs to be fulfilling.

Through getting sober, I realized that the biggest obstacle I faced was myself. I was literally standing in my own way. It’s not that I never HAD the time or energy, I was just not MAKING the time for it. Now I’m in a place where I can take full responsibility for my actions, my life, and my future. I have so many experiences to draw from now and am working on a series of paintings that tells the story of my journey to recovery and getting sober.

I hope this answers your questions!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
EAT/DRINK:

BACARI
SOULMATE
SUSNET TOWER
DAIKOKUYA
PRINCE STREET PIZZA
AVRA
SPAGO
ZINQUE
GIRL & THE GOAT
BOTTEGA LOUIE
GJELINA
CAFE STELLA
CANTER’S

HANG:

ARTS DISTRICT
HAUSER & WIRTH
BROAD/MOMA
RUNYON CANYON
CARPENTERS WORKSHOP GALLERY
MANHATTAN BEACH
THE GROVE
DIALOG CAFE
DAY TRIP TO SAN DIEGO

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people, institutions and mentors who have supported and nurtured my dreams and ambitions. I definitely want to recognize my parents, who adopted my brother and I when we were babies and have supported my creative endeavors for as early as I can remember. They would drive me to my art shows, buy my brushes, paints, and support me in so many big and small ways. I know that not every kid is given that kind of support, so I am definitely grateful for them.

Second, I want to recognize my twin brother and best friend, Spencer. Watching him chase and pursue his career in acting has been a huge inspiration and the consistent work that he puts in to training and developing his skills gives me the courage to do the same. We enjoy the same films, laugh about the same things, and connect on so many different levels. I am incredibly lucky to have his support.

Lastly, I would love to recognize my High School art teacher, Myron Stephens. He was instrumental in teaching me the skills I needed to be a successful artist and to be taken seriously. He exposed me to so many influential artists, painters, musicians, and gave me and so many others the platform at such an early age to showcase my work.

Website: connorsart.com

Instagram: connorcharlz

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connoraustincharles/

Other: ArtConnect: https://www.artconnect.com/connor-morgan-M5derEJRbbpXx3_Cq3V5U