A Daily Dose of Art: Sister Gertrude Morgan
Yesterday, during a Four-Hour Solo Writing Retreat in the St. Roch neighborhood of New Orleans, I looked at a book about the art and life of Sister Gertrude Morgan. The book was made in 2004 to accompany the first comprehensive retrospective exhibition of the work of Sister Gertrude Morgan.
“Gertrude Williams was born in Lafayette, Alabama, in 1900. She moved to Columbus, Georgia, in 1918, and married Will Morgan in 1928. Morgan began preaching in 1934. Five years later, believing she was called by God to become a street minister, she left her husband and moved to New Orleans. Morgan founded an orphanage in Gentilly, Louisiana, with two other women associated with the "Holiness and Sanctified Denomination," a sect that believed in celebrating God through music and dance.
“Morgan adopted the title "Sister" about 1940. She claimed that God called her to paint in 1956. Like the Shakers, her art conveys a deep sense of devotion and focuses exclusively upon religious themes. Morgan often included extensive scriptural citations to reinforce the message, using her paintings as visual concordance to her evangelical message.”
— Louisiana State Museums
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“Her journey from embracing religion as a teen to becoming a missionary and preacher in New Orleans, is beautifully rendered in the comic, “Sister Gertrude Morgan: A Creative Calling,” illustrated by Stephanie Hunton.”
What do you think? Please share your thoughts on this artist/topic or a glimpse into one of your recent doses of art in the comments below.