A resident of Mendon, in Utah’s rural Cache Valley, James Morgan often ventures into the nearby Wasatch
Mountains, along marshes around the Great Salt Lake, and to other places throughout theRocky Mountain West in search of landscapes and wildlife.

Morgan strives to capture his subjects in situations which reveal something about their innate character, finding the precise lighting and setting and circumstance.  His firsthand knowledge of nature informs his works, and yet he transforms his reality into quiet calm and subtle shapes and patterns that engage the eye in their abstractedness.

Morgan paints places that he knows, finding his subjects in the wild areas he loves — the mountains, marshes, and high deserts close to his home.  Morgan aims to create works that engage his audience emotionally, expanding their awareness of nature’s most intimate aspects through the depiction of quiet, tranquil moments.

I need to paint with my own unique personal vision…I need to feel emotional about my subject.  If I don’t paint with strong feelings, the painting won’t come through for people. – James Morgan