Art and graphic design fuel Morgan Hancock’s creative passion
Morgan Hancock’s teachers at primary school sometimes told her off for spending so much time illustrating her work, but her artistic enthusiasm has paid off.
Hancock, 23, has won the inaugural TSB Community Trust Emergence Award For Young Taranaki Artists, which was announced on Thursday at the Percy Thomson Gallery in Stratford.
‘‘At primary school I was always asked by other children if I could draw their title pages for them and was told I needed to spend more time on the content of my school projects instead of making them look pretty,’’ Hancock said.
Hancock, who was born in Stratford, studied graphic design at WITT and works full time in Auckland as a graphic artist, but enjoys doing her art in her spare time.
‘‘I love that I am never bored and always have something to do creatively. I always knew I would do both. For me, graphic design and art have always been closely linked.
‘‘When I create art there are quite often design elements within it. When I create graphic design, I often use my illustration work to enhance the design and make it more original.’’
Her winning mixed media work ‘Trip to the Dairy’ incorporates stitching, something Hancock learned in her last year at WITT and when she worked for designer Trelise Cooper.
‘‘Being immersed in the fashion industry gave me new ideas for my art. I feel the stitching gives an extra depth and surprise factor. I love making the stitching subtle so it takes people a while to realise it is thread and not paint.’’
Percy Thomson Gallery director Rhonda Bunyan said she was delighted with the 35 entries.
Judges for the award were Taranaki artist John McLean and NZ Portrait Gallery director Jaenine Parkinson.
Second-placed was Bridget Mestrom, who won $500 for ‘Still Life of Beads’ and third place went to Emelia French for ‘Eggshells’.