Angela Marie Morton

I live in a small, one bedroom apartment with my husband. We are both home all the time and, while we enjoy each other’s company, we each feel the need to do our own thing on a regular basis. It is a bit tricky due to the layout of our place, but we are fairly reasonable people, and are able to make it work. When I began working on my art seriously and regularly, I used our round dining table. That was fine for working on, but it was far from practical, as we needed the table to be clear when I wasn’t using it. Having my own workspace, however small, was something we felt was necessary, both physically and psychologically.  I began looking at options online, and measured the area we designated for my new space. After several months of research, I selected a desk and a chair, which my mom kindly purchased as a Christmas gift. The desk is sleek and minimal, and the chair is simple, yet ergonomic. I could not be happier with my little workspace, which we stationed in front of our larg...

Minimalist Pencil Cup by Angela Marie Morton I am a believer in, and an advocate of, working with what you have, in all aspects of life. It builds character, keeps you humble, exercises your critical thinking ability, saves money and resources, and challenges the status quo. Especially now, with nearly everything available in an instant, by click, tap, or shout (“Alexa, toilet paper!”), and no doubt very soon by mere thought, resisting the urge to acquire is a powerful and subversive act. My financial circumstances necessitate the practice of minimalism when it comes to art supplies. Sometimes it can be a little frustrating, but more often than not, I actually prefer the challenge of constraints imposed on my work. I suspect the same principle was at play when I was in college, and performed better under pressure and a quick deadline, than I did when I had an entire term to complete a project. While I am definitely not a procrastinator, having some sort of structure and limitations, e...

In the spring of 2020, in addition to the pandemic itself, and, in part, as a direct result of it, several life-changing events happened in a short period of time, and I was hurled into a new and unstable reality. I very quickly realized that I am someone who needs a focus and a purpose.  One morning, I came across a grainy black and white photo of Buddhist monks walking from their monastery down a hill. As I studied the photo, individual shapes and perspectives began to emerge from the overall image. Despite not having done any drawing for years, I was inspired to try to sketch the picture. I found an old journal with plain pages, and a pencil, and went to work. Then I did it again. And again. Then I did a version that combined elements of the photo with my own ideas. Then I went over it, painstakingly, in pen. Then I did it with pen and added some color with a long-ago-gifted set of watercolor pencils. The final result was a small, stylized, detailed illustration. Monks on Alms b...