Member Spotlight: Mary Morgan
Leslie Airola-Murveit
Mary Morgan’s Talents and Passions: Art & Tennis
NWTO members have talents that extend beyond the tennis court, and artist Mary Morgan is a fine example of that. Mary works to balance her studio time with her tennis. She pursues her artistic endeavors in the forms of Painting and Drawing, 3-Dimensional Table Assemblages, and Design. Tennis and art, her two lifelong avocations, continue to fulfill her, and she has no plans to stop either one!
Mary grew up the youngest of five children in a home where the arts, education, and athletics were encouraged. While her classically trained mother worked with her three older sisters and their professional singing careers, ‘The Broadie Sisters’, Mary established her path in the visual arts even before entering grade school. She would also spend a great deal of time on the tennis court with her father, ‘Steve’ Broadie, who was in the Missouri Valley Hall of Fame and competed Nationally through the eighties. The combination of disciplines took Mary to the University of Kansas on a tennis scholarship where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design and then later a Masters of Fine Arts in Painting. She was a former Studio Arts Professor at Wichita State University in Kansas before relocating to Houston with husband, Don Morgan.
Mary works daily in her Houston studio. She prefers water-based paints and charcoal “because of their lessened toxicity levels and their quicker drying properties and portability”. “Believe it or not, painting can be quite physical, especially with the larger scale works–I never sit when I work as it’s important to see the pieces from different distances.” Much like on the tennis court, it’s a journey in problem solving for Mary, trying to figure out what works for the best possible outcome. She describes the importance of working from general to specific, laying down the big picture with very large brushes, (even a broom!), before getting too specific with details. Similar to tennis, the foundation skills, education, and practice are critical–“they are our tools and used to create our game plans”.
Mary’s work explores “life in states of flux” seen through the shifting light and movement and what she considers as Real. “My work is figurative in nature; however, I interpret and record my visual experience over time allowing the abstract elements to be revealed. Nothing is static in life–there is no still–not on my canvases and certainly not on the tennis court.” She often works on two or three pieces at a time, moving from one to another, especially when things aren’t going as expected. It’s like changing strategies in a match when things aren’t working. “We have to be willing to make adjustments, to take chances, and also to fail, as that’s how we keep growing–at any age!” Mary is always busy working on commission pieces as well as being represented by galleries in Houston, TX. Website: Marymorganart.com
Mary started playing senior tennis tournaments in the 45’s after moving to Houston. Over the years and through tennis, she’s established wonderful friendships that she treasures. When she’s not playing or working in her studio, she volunteers her time on the Board of Serve up a Cure, a Houston-based non-profit that raises money for underinsured cancer patients. Mary’s artistic talents and athleticism are greatly admired and respected among NWTO members. We’re fortunate to have such a creative and compassionate player in our ranks!