Meet Morgan E. Lawrence | Designer and Motion Graphics Artist

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

Hi Morgan E., why did you decide to pursue a creative path?

In short, cause I like it. I feel the most in alignment when I’m coming up with concepts, visual problem solving, or physically creating art. I work even when I don’t feel like it, but I go easier on myself those days. It also came naturally to me. I feel like a kid indulging in the visual, and tactile, experiences of life. While getting serious when it comes to the execution or ideation of a design.

The long answer is cause I’m human, and being human is the most artistic thing you can do. If it’s made by a human, or through a computer, (and some animals) it is artwork. This includes math and sports, sailing a boat, going for a jog, brushing your teeth, and city streets. Even the mountains of trash we pile in landfills are art because no other animal on earth could do that. Maybe beavers. But not like that.

When I tell people I do design and motion, I get a lot of “Oh that’s amazing, I can’t even draw a straight line”. Usually I tell them how to cheat (use a ruler) and they laugh and go onto self deprecate some more. People want to make art out to be some magical thing, and it just isn’t. It’s taken a lot of hard work to get good at what I do, and I learn something new every day. I might have been more inclined to make art, but no human activity is more divine than another. There’s a trick to being human, it requires mindfulness, introspection, and the willingness to fail. We’re all artists, crafting our ideas the best we can with the tools we feel most comfortable with.

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’m efficient, quick to understand, quick to get it done. I’m always looking for a shortcut to make it easier (lots of ruler action). I like challenges too. Coffee couldn’t wake me up the way a creative problem does. Whether it’s visual storytelling or how it’s crafted, I’ve had a lot of practice to be as capable as I am now.

What sets me apart is my versatility. In the background of my motion and design work, I play with a lot of different mediums; paint in a variety of pigments but my favorite is gouache. I create 3D props and set design, airbrush, spray paint, you name it. This gives me a tremendous amount of solutions and inspiration to draw from.

Lately, I’m really excited about motion design. It’s one of those things that just makes sense. I’ve always come up with ideas in the form of gifs, bumpers, or shorts, but chose illustration as a foundation for multimedia motion design. I love all of my little characters, and want to work with a bigger message. So while I studied Illustration at Savannah College of Art and Design, I enhanced my coursework with classes in animation, motion, and design. I have been working this way ever since, giving my drawings tweeks of motion while learning and building the skills to make bigger moves and better transitions. Now I feel I really have a handle on it, and as I receive more freelance clients looking to add motion to the work, I’m getting more inspired.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Whew! Depends on how you define a week cause I could pack it in.

For dinner, drinks, or maybe an appetizer hop:
The Consulate
Bon Ton
-Both make an especially good sazerac
Muchachos
97 Estoria
The Garden Room

For a view:
Rooftop Bar at Hotel Clairemont,
-Bonus points found at Tiny Lous
St. Julep’s
Drawbar

For a little art party, and maybe gallery hop:
The Bakery
-also have to sign up for a figure drawing session
Kai Lin
Cat Eye Creative

All things Brunch and Breakfast:
The Select
Little Tart Bakeshop
Alon’s Bakery
Le Bon Nosh
Thumbs Up Diner

Venues I keep my eye on:
The Eastern
Aftercar
Fernbank Science Museum
-After Dark science night as an added perk
Venkman’s

Hiking Spots:
Sope Creek Paper Mill Ruins
Blue Hole Falls

And of course lots of walking along the Beltline, and through Piedmont Park!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I definitely have to give credit to Craig Alan Studio, Craig and his team are some of the best people I know. I grew exponentially through working with Craig, as he’s a kind and thoughtful mentor. Throughout my time, I was able to experiment and develop as an artist in a professional environment. The connections I’ve made there are ones I know I’ll continue to cultivate for years to come.

To all my friends, and the many artists I find myself in the delightful company of – Thank you for being human with me.

Website: morganeillustration.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morgane_illu/

Image Credits
Christina Voltik