Joe Morzuch

Artist Bio:

Joe Morzuch is an observational painter currently residing in Starkville, MS.  In addition to his studio work, which deals primarily with the still life and self-portrait, he is an Assistant Professor at Mississippi State University.  In 2006 he received his MFA from Southern Illinois University Carbondale.  He has taught at the college level for nearly 20 years, teaching courses in foundations, drawing, and painting.  His work has been exhibited nation-wide and abroad.

Artist Statement:

“Dark Self-Portrait is one work in a series of recent self-portraits exploring themes of isolation and vulnerability.  The drawing was executed from direct observation at a one-to-one scale. Inspecting and representing my likeness over several months was an intense experience, at once unnerving and centering. This work is ultimately about encountering the self, reconciling object with subject, presence and resilience in a time defined by loss and uncertainty."