News Archives: Fine Arts Alumni Lighting Up Holiday Mail
Sunday, December 12th, 2021
Morgan Zoe, alumni, has had his artwork selected by Purolator’s limited-edition holiday packaging campaign.
Morgan Zoe, a graduate of the GPRC Visual Arts and Design Diploma program, is proud to see his artwork travel around the world this holiday season as part of Purolator’s limited-edition holiday packaging campaign.
Nominated by last year’s featured artist, Morgan’s artwork was chosen as one of 13 box designs, commissioned by Purolator to celebrate emerging artists from each of Canada’s provinces and territories. The 2021 theme is ‘Light Up the Holidays’ and highlights the uniqueness and individuality of each artists’ home.
Morgan’s design was selected to represent the Northwest Territories and features the outdoor surrounds of a red house, designed up off the ground and without a basement, as is typical for the region where he lives.
“Rather than take a symbolic approach to the theme, I decided to create something really relatable that captures real-life in the North,” explains Morgan. “If you were to visit me, you could come see this actual house, complete with the tree and teepee in behind it. The smoker beside the tree is where my girlfriend’s grandma smokes hides, which she then uses to create moccasins, vests, jackets and other traditional clothing.”
He chose to include other personal touches, like his girlfriend walking his new puppy, but also intentionally layered in more universal elements so that it would resonate with a wider audience.
“I think people all over Canada can relate to the feelings created through the artwork - feelings of home and warmth and family,” says Morgan. “I used striking and contrasting colours to make the box stand out and to draw the viewer’s eye into the scene.”
Morgan had the chance to experience the broader Canadian perspective during his five years in Alberta, including two years as a Visual Arts student at GPRC. He credits his time there for having helped him build an expanded and more well-rounded skillset, and he believes the opportunity to focus on his artistic practice is what has allowed him to take his art to the next level.
The Purolator campaign came at a great time as, like many artists, Morgan felt his momentum stall as COVID-19 hit the world. “The pandemic put a big dent in my plans to put myself out there as much as possible,” says Morgan. “But I never stopped creating. I’m currently working on what I call my Mona Lisa - a 7’ by 4.5’ canvas that I have put somewhere in the ballpark of 240 hours into so far.”
Morgan, a member of the Tlicho people, describes his practice as a little bit traditional and little bit Indigenous futuristic. He describes the latter as projecting how Indigenous culture will transform in the years ahead. “I believe this is a huge untapped market right now - something like street art in the 2000s.”
For now, you can look forward to possibly enjoying one of Morgan’s more traditional works wrapped around one of your holiday packages this season. But if one of his boxes doesn’t happen to land under your tree, you can check him out on Instagram at @morganzoeartist.
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GPRC’s Visual Arts and Design program and Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) University Transfer program offer a balance of hands-on studio and lecture-based courses. Visual Arts students see the world differently, and that is why we’re proud to offer them a creative environment to hone their ideas and art pieces. Our facilities include a multi-use workshop; painting, drawing and sculpture studios with dedicated student work stations, and a computer lab with static media and video editing capabilities. Our faculty encourage, inspire and motivate students to explore the process. The curriculum is designed to prepare students for advanced studies at a university or an art institute. To learn more, visit GPRC.me/FineArts.
