Artist Bio
Jesse works in multiple mediums, on multiple substrates. Surreal landscapes that twist, and turn, and become animated through perspective are the makeup of his alternate reality. Through use of a saturated palette, and dynamic light source, combined with distorted spatial issues, a unique, whimsical feeling is evoked in his work.
Jesse draws inspiration from the impressionists for their use of color to express light and their actual application of paint on the canvas, techniques that continue to impress, awe, and influence him. Surrealists like Rene Magritte have left an indelible mark on Jesse by creating realities where there are no rules. He appreciates Caravaggio and other Baroque-Era painters for their dynamic use of light, and painters like Salvador Dali who create expansive landscapes with un-ending space. Street-art, and graffiti also heavily influence his work, with most influence coming from today's Modern Impressionists. Comic books, concert poster art, product label art, the list of visual inspirations is endless.
In addition to his fine-art, he enjoys creating functional design that contains elements of his aesthetic, ideology and style. Commercial signage, logos, visual branding, personalized shoes, beer can labels, not much is off limits. Check out the social media links below to stay up to date on what Jesse is working on!
Who is jjm4?
Jesse Johnson Morgan IV a.k.a. jjm4 is a fine-artist living in Northfield, MA, originally from Amherst, MA. He has always been a drawer/doodler since he was young. His parents would consistently buy him colored pencils, markers, drawing pads and other miscellaneous materials for the holidays. He is thankful that they cultivated his artistic aspirations from a young age and made accessible materials for creating. After filling multiple sketchbooks in his pre-adolescent years, he attended The Williston Northampton School, graduating in 2001. New materials, and different mediums were available to him there. Jesse took multiple electives in his time at Williston, choosing design classes such as architectural drawing, life drawing, and finally painting during his senior year. He took to painting naturally, being able to manipulate a medium with a brush, visualize a final product, and take the necessary steps to make the concept become whole on the canvas, a finished product which was inherently his,
Jesse continued his interest in the visual-arts while attending Lafayette College in Easton, PA. He began his studies there as an Economic and Business major, while fulfilling his core-curriculum, and taking multiple electives, which included almost all visual-arts classes. The beauty of a liberal-arts college is that, through a diverse curriculum, a student gravitates toward a field that is most fulfilling. Thus, halfway through college, he had changed his major from Economics to Studio-Art, a decision that would ultimately change the course of his future professional career. Throughout Jesse's time at Lafayette, he continued to gain knowledge and skills in the visual arts, honing his own personal craft. He grew confidence apprenticing under multiple professional artists, working as a Teacher's Assistant, and having success in his individual assignments and shows.
Jesse's studio classes were fulfilling on a personal level. He was motivated and eager to produce new work and grow as an artist. His career priorities had changed, and the idea of the future had shifted from crunching numbers behind a desk 9-5, to creating representations of himself through art, and having a need for a creative outlet working with his hands. After multiple Internships, independent studies, art-histories, teacher's assistant jobs, public art instalations, and curated shows, Jesse graduated Lafayette College in 2005 with a BA in Studio Art. Thus, his professional career was launched as a creative.
Jesse strives for continuous growth as an artist, always learning new techniques and skills as he seeks out new ways of looking at the world, experience that influences his personal design. He creates compositions that brighten the dreary, and monotonous routines of daily life. He lives in this alternate dream world, and finds solace. Jesse has a strong desire to share his work with others, in hopes that they too can enter into his world and be fulfilled with the journey.
When not creating, Jesse is a family man, spending time with his wife, Molly and their three kids Maeve, Jack (jjm5), and Leo. He is an avid golfer, snowboarder, fisherman, and hiker, spending most of his leisure time with family, outside. He is also a well known bartender in the area, most recently working at Fitzwillys in Northampton, Ma.
