An artist from West Virginia said she seeks to promote her state’s culture by highlighting Appalachia’s beauty, according to her artist statement.
Morgan Napier’s work was spotlighted by local event space Side Street Creative, owned by Peyton Griffith and Ethan Whitt, on Oct. 25.
The exhibit showed work from eight different artists from across West Virginia who elevate the state by photographing staple locations in West Virginia, like the State Capitol and Greenbrier River.
Napier also interviewed these artists to “create new, positive narratives that showcase Appalachian culture and educate others about its potential,” according to her artist statement.
The artists highlighted include Noelle Horsfield, Nichole Westfall, Emily Sokloksky, NDTank, Leah Stankus, Jared Tadlock, Octavia Spriggs and Logan Schmitt.
These artists represent and showcase the cities of Thomas, Huntington, Charleston, Lewisburg, Fayetteville and Parkersburg.
She put the interviews and work into a magazine titled “The Appalachian Perspective,” where she asked questions about how the state influenced their work and their connections to it.
About these interviews and their work, she said in a letter in the magazine, “Their expression paints a more accurate picture of what Appalachia represents.”
“It is bold, diverse, beautiful and gorgeous,” she said.
The exhibit was inspired by Napier’s own experiences with living in Appalachia her entire life.
While her relationship with the state has been lukewarm, she grew to love it when she started traveling around West Virginia.
“I no longer saw Appalachia as a run-down region. Instead, I saw it for its beauty and charm,” she said in a letter in the magazine.
In this exhibit, she hopes to motivate artists and persuade others to visit the region.
In her artist statement, Napier said, “This project functions as a unified series designed to inspire fellow artists and art students.”
She continued, “Through interviews, images and printed materials like postcards and posters, it highlights West Virginia’s rich creative community and natural beauty, encouraging others to visit and appreciate the region.”
Jordan Ooten can be contacted at [email protected].
