Nancy Morales: Meet the Artist
I am a multi-disciplinary artist hailing from the breezy coast of Long Beach, CA. I settled in Grand Rapids after a fun stint in KCAD while I got my B.F.A. in Metals and Jewelry with a minor in Sculpture and Functional Art. After I graduated, I decided that the growing art community in Grand Rapids aligned with many of my goals of living a creative, enriching life, so I decided to stick around! I'm inspired by strange literature, history, and 80's sci-fi and horror, as these genres really tickle my imagination!
Q: How did you get involved with Lions and Rabbits?
A: I was fortunate enough to have friends that let me know that L&R was seeking artists for a mural project! When I heard about their mission to make art accessible and beautify the West Side, I was hooked.
Q: What themes/ideas are highlighted in your work? Intentions?
A: I like the idea of storytelling through art. Sculpture that looks like a weird relic from a foreign planet, jewelry that feels like a protective amulet, paintings that make obscure references to forgotten mythologies. Objects that have more to offer than what may first meet the eye. I'm driven by creating objects that inspire a narrative.
Q: Run us through your creative process - How do you start, flow and finish?
A: Most ideas start with a vague, fleeting image in my brain. Sometimes I manage to capture on on paper or in my phone's Ideas notepad before it dissipates. Oftentimes when I refer back to these notes, I find them rather cryptic and undecipherable... but every so often something sticks! After that the process varies wildly depending on the medium. If it's a jewelry object, I may create a paper prototype before I start making it in metal. If it's illustrative in nature, I'll doodle, sometimes for days on end, until I find the lines and composition I want. My studio is rather rudimentary, so I occasionally travel to complete my work in other studios! Sometimes the process is a literal journey.
Q: What obstacles/struggles have you encountered throughout your career as an artist? Or challenges you face through your creative process
A: The main obstacle I deal with is having free time. I juggle a couple of jobs to get by, and sometimes before I know it a month has gone by! Thankfully some of my work is related to the arts, so fortunately I still get to exercise my creative muscles regularly.
Q: Can you share a little more about how your art career started. Have you always been in your field? Were you self taught or had additional schooling?
A: In high school, I used to sell little shrinky dink and resin jewelry to my friends, so it's safe to say that jewelry has always been one of my main interests! I was taught by some phenomenal instructors at both Long Beach City College and Kendall College of Art and Design that equipped me with many skills and confidence. While I was in community college I eagerly took all the art classes in the art department, and started my first Etsy shop full of the paintings, prints, dishes, and jewelry I was making. The rest is history!
Q: Who/what are your biggest inspirations that play a key role in the work you produce?
A: As I mentioned before, I love stories. Other than reading books, one of my favorite sources of serotonin is the work of painter Deth P. Sun. Each image seems to tease with little narrative elements! It's incredibly engaging. Many artists that I follow on social media have a lot of that same magic! It's very energizing.
Q: Is there anything you wish you could change about your work?
A: Sometimes... the scale. Due to the size of my workspace I'm generally limited to small works, but someday I'd like to create something super tall!
Q: What mistakes have you made? What did you learn from them? What are you trying to get better at?
A: Oh gosh, I've lost count! SO many lessons learned. There's definitely been a few last-minute artist proposals I've submitted without proofreading - only to find a bazillion typos after the fact! Some of the things I am trying to be better at knowing my limits: oftentimes in my excitement for projects I've bitten off more than I could chew, and have ended up spreading myself quite thin, which affects my mental health so that I end up needing to take a long hiatus from projects to recover.
Q: Do you feel supported by your community as an artist? In what ways could you feel more supported?
A: I generally feel pretty supported. I have been introduced to many opportunities by friends and acquaintances in the local arts community that think of me and help me connect with others!
Q: Describe a moment when you felt most proud of yourself
A: Honestly, I just experienced that kind of pride not too long ago! Towards the end of 2021 I got a teaching artist position that aligns perfectly not just with my creative purpose, but my moral compass as well. I feel proud to be someone who can mentor the next generation of young artists in the arts!
Q: What's most important to you about what you create, and how it impacts others?
A: There's so many answers to this questions! Sometimes, my work provides me with the fun outlet that I need (say, making cute little needle felted sculptures), other times when the world feels oppressive and dark I draw out my thoughts. Different mediums for different moods!
Q: What's next? What are you currently focusing on or looking forward to?
A: One of my major works in progress is a set of mechanical box murals for L&R! I'm excited for the warm weather to come along so I can get back out there and paint. My next project is a little bit more tedious but the reward will be immense; finishing up my basement studio! I have many jewelry ideas bubbling over, and once my studio is set up I can switch gears towards releasing my next collection.
Q: What does being an artist mean to you? What is the function of artists in society?
A: Being an artist means bearing witness to the world around us, and to our inner world as well. The function of artists in society is to record, beautify, alter, and challenge the reality we live in.
Q: And of course, if you could chose any vehicle to travel, real or imaginary what would it be?
A: The steampunk time machine from... you guessed it, The Time Machine.
Follow more of Nancy’s work on www.weirdwolfarte.com and instagram.com/weird.wolf
Thank you for tuning into this week’s Meet the Artist, be sure to checkout more artist stories every week on our blog!
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