@heatherrmorgann

Heather Morgan is a visual artist and photographer based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“Art follows me everywhere. I was born into a small town in North Carolina; to say that I have longed to create, go somewhere, or do something bigger than myself is a HUGE understatement. I am really getting into portrait photography here lately, mostly as a way to express myself and pursue my passion. I hope to communicate feeling and express myself through my photography, as I have always been painfully shy. I am pushing myself to do scary things, to learn, and to work with people to make beautiful things! My work is very much inspired by water— wet things. I have always been drawn to the ocean, the city when it rains, the shower. Capturing those sacred places, and then creating a world from them, is my favorite thing to do in photography. I love the vulnerable, the uncomfortable, the ethereal. I never want to make solely beautiful work— i want to make something real.”

What inspires you?

My work is very much inspired by water— anything liquid. I have always been drawn to the ocean, the city when it rains, the shower. Capturing those sacred places, and then creating a world from them, is my favorite thing to do in photography. I love the vulnerable, the uncomfortable, the ethereal. I never want to make solely beautiful work— I want to make something real and uncomfortable.

What does feminism/ being a feminist means to you?

Being a feminist is simple. What really matters is loving people and believing in equality. In everything that I do, I want to portray women authentically and realistically. I want to focus on how feminism affects young girls. I was extremely self conscious when I was growing up, and the message of feminism would have changed a lot of that, I think. I love the body positive feminist movement that is happening right now. It is changing our culture, and changing the way that I perceive my own body and self.

What social / political issues are the most important to you?

The social and political issues that are most important to me are those of equal rights. I am passionate about women being treated fairly in the workplace and in creative industries— such as film, photography, and art. Although women have more rights than ever before in the western world, they are still not as respected as men. It’s personal to me because my dream job would be to become a cinematographer. However, only 3% of cinematographers in Hollywood are female. It’s a problem that I believe is finally coming to an end, but I know that I will be one of the ones to fight. I hope that my children grow up in a world where their sex or gender has no effect on how they are perceived or their ability to create. 

What would be your message to young girls around the globe?

My message to young girls around the globe would be to love yourself for everything that you are, and to have more fun. Don’t be so hard on yourself, and stop comparing yourself to other people. Really, everyone is just as afraid as you are. Everyone is trying to figure life out. Adults don’t know as much as you think they do. Try to enjoy life as much as you can. Learn to love people instead of tearing them down. Life is hard for everyone. Although all of this sounds cliche, it’s true. Just try to be happy. You’ll figure it all out. 

Do you consider yourself a sensitive person? if the answer is yes, can you tell us the pro and cons of it in your daily life? 

I would definitely consider myself to be a sensitive person! I feel like I experience everything at its loudest volume and feel everything as intensely as possible. It is what drives my art. If I were not so sensitive, I don’t think that I would be so passionate. So, it benefits me in a lot of ways. But, it makes my life a lot harder. I can’t see sad movies in the winter, or I won’t be able to bounce back. If I shoot a series of photos, and they don’t turn out the way I wanted, I’ll go into a week-long depression. Sometimes I sleep all day if it’s rainy because it makes me feel so sad. If someone raises their voice or speaks to me in a certain tone, I’ll dwell on it for weeks. I think about quitting photography all the time, until I take a photo that I love and remember why I do all of this. I have to be very self aware. I have to pay attention to the way I’m feeling and how things are affecting me, before my sensitivity gets ahold of me. A big part of taking control over my life has been learning how to say no to situations that will affect me in these ways. 

If you want to follow Heather’s artwork 👇
INSTAGRAM