THE IMPETUS OF MAGNETISM by Aria Gannon
Morgan Winter at work in her studio. All photos of her by Adam Schneberg
The dynamic vibrant exhibition Magnetism created a stir when it opened at the Jeffrey Breslow Gallery in Chicago, yet Magnetism had its roots at Art Basil Miami in 2015. Megan Frazier and Morgan Winter descended on Miami from their respective homes with their very different distinctive styles. Both artists came to Art Basil Miami as an adventure, a search for inspiration. Neither artist had any notion of what was to come. Throughout the week in Miami, Meg and Morgan’s bond solidified, and after chatting about the possibilities, they agreed to work collaboratively. Meg and Morgan began their collaboration a few weeks after Art Basel Miami when Morgan headed to Chicago (where Meg lives) from her home in Brooklyn, so they could begin working together. Artistic fireworks happened. They worked tirelessly day and night creating a large body of work that, interestingly, communicates the connection between them as artists while still displaying glimpses of their individual talents. A little background on these two artists: Megan “Meg” Frazier was raised in a small Ohio town, studied art education at Ohio's Defiance College. She moved to Chicago in 2006, and by 2009 Meg was working for Chicago charter schools, teaching art methods as a form of therapeutic release for 16 to 21 year-olds. Meg began teaching part time and opened her first gallery space, Both Sides, in the Chicago Arts
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Meg Frazier. All photos of her by Nikki Workman
District, in 2012. Both Sides gallery represented local artists and hosted classes and events to engage the community, and featured a new artist every month for 24 months, as well as hosting creative classes 5 days a week. In May of 2014, Meg opened her own gallery, the Meg Frazier Gallery, to provide a venue for her own contemporary work. Meg has a solid midwestern All-American Girl air about her. Her crystal blue eyes and big beautiful smile greet you on first glance… and every single time after. Her painting style is bold. She taunts the canvas with color and her brush stokes are accomplished with brazen confidence. She is a risk taker, as her work clearly tells us. Morgan Winter possesses a striking exoticism that is completely captivating. She seems unaware of her hypnotizing beauty and at first has a quiet presence. But, after a time, the born-andraised New Yorker shows herself: witty and playful in character. She is also a non-stop doodler. However, Morgan's doodles morph into intricate works of fine-point black and white ink on paper. Her style is distinctly feminine and delicate, and complex in its composition and detail. Morgan observes "I have always had an appreciation for abstract art, but working with Meg changed something for me. To say that something clicked sounds too insignificant. Something...shifted. The textures, the movement, the emotion that can come through is a completely different language. It speaks di-