By Utah artist James Morgan never for a moment questioned his destiny. He would be an artist. Yes, there were challenges along the way, but anything worth doing often comes with some trials, and he was not deterred—slowed down, maybe, but not deterred. Although he uneasily glosses over the time he spent working days at a piano factory (something he’d like to forget entirely) and nights at his easel, it’s clear that Morgan has earned his credentials.

The rewards have been worth it. And Morgan admits that working in that piano factory got him over a financial hump, while he provided for his wife Ruth and two sons, Cody and Andrew. But, there came a time when it was clear to Ruth that he needed to move on. Morgan credits her with giving him that all-important nudge into becoming a full-time fine artist.

“She has been my constant support in all ways,” he says. “We finally sat down in 1982, when the boys were about age 10 and 6, and she made it clear that she wanted me to [go into art full time]. She gave me a boot in the pants, and here we are. I don’t know what I’d have done without her.”

Jim Morgan

Exit Left
Oil
24″x36″
“Running on silver water to gain flight, tundra swans gracefully depart a shallow marsh in late November, continuing their southbound journey.”

Jim Morgan

Last Open Water
Oil
24″x36″
“On a rapidly freezing marsh on the north end of the Great Salt Lake, a mix of late-leaving waterfowl—mostly tundra swans, diving ducks, and mallards—lingers and keeps open the unfrozen remnants of a large rest lake. I am fascinated by the unique marshscapes of northern Utah. The area is always an endless source of inspiration.”