We had the pleasure of interviewing SINGULART artist Maidy Morhous and talked with her about her background, inspirations, and process of her bronze sculptures and paintings.
Tell us a little bit about yourself!
I am Maidy Morhous, an American sculptor and painter. I live in North Coastal San Diego, California, but I was born in New York. Since I was a small child, I have had an avid interest in the arts. I could never just sit and read. I needed to use my hands to create, whether helping my dad with wood projects or painting and drawing with my mother, who was an oil and watercolor painter. Creativity has always been in my genes.
I received my MFA in the United States from various colleges such as LA Art Institute, University of South California, UC San Diego, and Long Beach State University, and I furthered my studies in sculpture casting and mold making at the Marienli Foundry in Florence, Italy.
How would you describe the kind of work you make?
My sculptures encapsulate Pop Art by presenting ordinary objects as fine art. Once in a while, I feel the need to express what is happening in the world, socially and politically, through my sculptures such as “Liberty Abatement” or “Hope.”
Who, or what, are your sources of inspiration?
I start with a word or object that would make a good sculpture, and I begin googling synonyms or American idioms that stem from these initial thoughts as a jumping-off point to start creating. Examples of this are seen in “Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk,” “ 3-Second Rule”, or “Don’t Kill the Goose!”
My paintings, on the other hand, are influenced by world news at the moment. I want to express both power and destruction while using a limited palette.
I let my artwork morph as I create; for instance, my paintings become totally different from what I started out with. I like the freedom to be “in the zone” and create.
What’s the most rewarding material you work with and why?
I love to work with bronze in the ancient lost wax technique because it is both labor intensive and lasts forever, which is ironic since I create sculptures of typically short-lived objects.
What projects are you working on at the moment?
Each year I participate in about eight to ten juried exhibitions. For the last three years, I have been invited to participate in the international exhibition at the Tokyo Museum of Art in Tokyo, Japan, where I gratefully received the highest honor award presented. My work is also exhibited this year at Art Basel Miami and the Red Dot Art Fair.
