the northern loon studio is the creative home of morgan murphy.

About

morgan murphy (she/her) is a chicago-based artist whose work seeks to acknowledge, celebrate, & uplift the beauty & whimsy in the overlooked, cliché, & mundane aspects of everyday life.

as a multimedia artist who most frequently uses acrylic paint on wood or canvas, morgan uses layers of vibrant colors, bold contrasts, & dark lines in her cityscape & flowerscape paintings, community murals, abstract works, uplifting cards, & upcycled trinket jars. her works are bright, bold, imaginative, & emotive.

originally from northern michigan, the artist is inspired by the call of the northern loon (a diver bird from her native region), which causes a moment of pause, reflective imagination, & hyper-awareness of her surroundings. she seeks to emulate that experience with creative work that accentuates the beauty in the mundane, showcases the whimsy in the everyday, critiques social inequities, & celebrates imperfection.

on the map

morgan has experience creating in chicago, northern michigan, bulgaria, the netherlands, spain, and in-between.

her work has been featured in rostrum312’s group exhibit in roosevelt collection shops (chicago), gallery cafe - location 1 & 2 (chicago), jackson junge gallery (chicago), project onward at the bridgeport arts center (chicago), the 2021 National Association of Community and Restorative Justice - NACRJ - conference (chicago,), & A.I.R. studio and gallery (glencoe, IL). she has also participated in the 2024 evanston plein air festival.

in the studio

the northern loon studio is located in a shared studio space near horner park in chicago.

the address is 4045 n. rockwell ave.

as a working studio for morgan & her studiomates, the studio is open for visits by appointment only.

starting november 2024, morgan will host ‘open studio’ events. sign up for her newsletter to receive invitations to upcoming open studio events directly to your inbox.

at local shops, markets, & shows

you can find morgan’s art available for purchase at raw edge artisan boutique (lincoln square & michigan avenue locations), wolfbait (logan square), & online here.

morgan does a few annual pop-ups at raw edge artisan boutique in chicago & also participates in as a vendor at local markets in the summer & holiday seasons. to stay updated on upcoming markets, sign up for the monthly newsletter at the bottom of this page.

morgan participates in a handful of group shows each year, which are often hosted by local galleries & businesses. depending on the specific show, morgan’s final works vary in thematic focus, size, & medium. regardless of the show, her approach is the same: pause, take in, reflect, accentuate details, & add layers.

in the community

morgan regularly supports organizations that align with her values through in-kind donations of original artwork and prints. in the past, morgan has donated pieces to girls inc., of chicago, uptown united (the uptown chamber of commerce), and project onward.

morgan has experience leading & supporting thoughtful creative workshops for diverse groups. these events include community bread-making sessions in bulgaria, spray paint stencil-making, miniature painting, & intuitive watercolor painting in the netherlands, paint-and-sip in northern michigan, & valentine making in chicago.

murals that morgan designed and painted are out & about in the communities of barcelona, pleven, the hague, & chicago. morgan also has experience as an assistant to fellow artists’ mural projects.

frequently asked questions

  • I took a few art classes in high school. Other than that, i am self-taught.

  • yup!

  • nope! I do frequent pop-ups in different stores, participate in art markets, & show larger pieces in curated exhibitions.

  • my art is available for purchase at raw edge artisan boutique (lincoln square, wicker park, and michigan avenue locations), wolfbait (logan square), and online here on my site.

  • yup!!! reach out and let’s chat.