Morgane Aurore Xenos is an Art of Austin artist.
Morgane Aurore Xenos
AoA – How long have you been in Austin and how did you find your way here?
Morgane – My family and I found our way here from the State Who Must Not Be Named in 2006, and live in beautiful Hill Country ever since. The distance from the city has never been something that pushed us away from our Austin. We love this city so stinkin much.
AoA – When did you realize that you were an artist?
Morgane – My first grade teacher would get me in trouble for only ever coloring OUTside the lines. She’d hate it and I would keep doing it in spite of it. Calloused me for life.
AoA – Can you speak to your art training?
Morgane – Aside from getting scolded in my younger years, my mentor and favorite art teacher took me under his wing at the age of 9. He was the real reason why I wanted to pursue an art career. He taught me everything he knew at the time and to this day we still stay in touch. My formal education comes from hiding in the art classes I took in high school and taking one semester from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburg only to realize that the college track was not for me (which, in spite of myself, was hard for my studious highschool self to understand). And like any irresponsible drop out would do, I went to New York City to study at the Art Students League where I experienced some of the best training I could have ever hoped for. And can blame my love for oil painting on their excellent professors and focus on getting good at one thing and and one thing only; painting. It was a dream come true, financially and emotionally. I moved back to Texas in hopes to pursue this career with what I know now to be some of the raddest and baddest artists. And I can easily say that working alongside these incredible artists has taught me so much. More than any college can teach me in four years. This is for a lifetime, baby.
AoA – Where do you derive inspiration from?
Morgane – Fashion magazines, fashion shows, haute couture, runways always inspire me. The textures, the colors, the emotions on the models never gets old for me. I’ve gone to the store to buy a Vogue magazine with my groceries when I need to get inspired. And Flowers. Roses, in particular, are some of the most intricate and beautiful creatures on the planet.
AoA – Can you tell us about what your work is concerned with?
Morgane – Beautiful things. Saturating a canvas with all things beautiful bring me no greater joy. Some people like the dark. I want beautiful people in a beautiful pose surrounded with beautiful things on a beautiful day. Where your eyes just can’t get enough. Spread the pretty everywhere like glitter… which is also beautiful.
AoA – Can you talk a little about your creative processes in creating?
Morgane – Late nights, long days.
AoA – Big question. What do you feel the role of art is in the world?
Morgane – I think art plays a heavy role in keeping things interesting. A movie would be nothing without its artists. And walls would be sad without color. We need art to explain why we live in this life. It’s the response for all the crazy we can’t explain. It’s something that if it were eliminated from our lives, the essence of human existence would be dismal. Earth without Art is Eh.
AoA – Do you have any feelings towards Digital Art versus traditional mediums?
Morgane – Anything can be an art. There are so many ways to appreciate it.
AoA – Who are some artists that you look to?
Morgane – John Singer Sargent, Frank Frazetta, Malcolm Lipke, Brian Viveros, Alexander McQueen, Karl Lagerfeld, Lady Gaga
AoA – If you could own 1 piece from a living artist, who would it be?
Morgane – Damn this question. Probably every single gown Alexander McQueen has ever produced ever
AoA – What else do you enjoy besides making art?
Morgane – Sewing, dancing like crazy, concerts, music, running, everything derived from the earth.
AoA – Where can we find your work? Do you have any shows planned for the future?
Morgane – I will usually have my shows up on my instagram. I have a solo show coming up in October that I need to get working on. More details to come.
AoA – Any final advice for all the artists reading out there?
Morgane – Keep it up. Don’t be afraid to put your work out there. You are the only one that is keeping you from getting to where you want to go. And also, Love.
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