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

Hi Morgan, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
As an act of self preservation. I am a person who has been referred to as “too sensitive” and “stuck in my head” all my life. Art is a way out of that mode of being. Art is a way to set aside the ego and observe; to create something tangible from the tangled mess of everything that is my mind.

I have always been a writer, but art didn’t come naturally to me. I was always taught in school that art had to be done a certain way, that one is supposed to “draw what you see.” That didn’t interest me. As I got older, I found collage and mixed media. Everything changed. I wanted to challenge myself to go outside the norms that had been so imposed on me and society itself. I wanted a mirror with which to reflect the world I saw both within, and outside of, myself.

As a recovering addict and a person with multiple mental health disorders, art is essentially the only thing in my life that has remained constant. I feel I have a duty to create, to push forward, to look ahead, and to commit to transmuting my pain into something meaningful. Art is living and breathing; whether we want to see it or not is up to us as individuals. And I choose to see.

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.
I got to where I am today by continuously creating, no matter the circumstances. Even when I lived in a homeless shelter I found a way to create using found objects or donated magazines and art supplies. I simply have to create, or I’ll perish. I think that is what I am most proud of: my resilience and dedication to finding meaning in life by means of art.

It definitely hasn’t been easy. With my poetry, I’ve submitted my work roughly 100 times, and have only been published 10 times. With my art, I’ve walked into galleries and been laughed at. I gave up my Computer Engineering degree to focus on my art and explore the world, and because of that, plenty of people close to me have discouraged me, insisting I pursue a “practical” career. But when you struggle day-to-day so deeply with your mental health, the best thing you can do to survive is to do what you love. What brings you peace.

I’ve learned to reach toward the world, not away from it. I’ve learned to alchemize even the darkest pain and suffering into something worth living for, worth learning from.

One thing I am very excited about is my first book of poetry being printed and published. It’s called ‘Slick Wrist’ and features poems written from summer 2022-summer 2023. It’s a personal collection and has taken me a great deal of courage to complete, thanks to the collaborative effort and support from my community. It will be available for purchase through my Instagram account and on Amazon by Halloween!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Right now I live in Lexington, Kentucky, and I honestly don’t find a whole lot about this city to be exciting or interesting. But regardless I’ve found some hidden gems!

I would show them sQecial Media, visit the Kentucky Theatre for some classic films, walk around the Arboretum, go to Glover’s Bookery for some rare books, see the art at the Lexington Art League and Artists’ Attic, and go to Coffee Times and check out the vintage clothing store next door while we’re there. I also love the parks and cemeteries here, so we’d check them out, too!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’m a firm believer that everyone I’ve ever met has changed my life in some way or another, and without each other we would have nothing.

That being said, I would like to specifically shoutout Accrete Art Collective, Danny Bolton and Sarah Conway specifically, for giving me the opportunity to meet other artists and show my work.

The writers who have endlessly inspired me (alive and dead)- Robert Lowell, Mary Oliver, Ocean Vuong, John Berryman, Adrienne Rich, Emil Cioran, Jacques Derrida, and Albert Camus.

My loving partner (and brilliant philosopher). My friends. My family.

Lastly, I want to shoutout Brittany Conder, whose art consistently inspires me and who granted me the fortune of being a collaborator on my poetry book.

Website: enfrighten.wordpress.com

Instagram: @enfrightened

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