Jeff Morin

Jeffrey Morin’s artistic endeavors are deeply intertwined with his identity as an educator and community leader, embodying themes of spirituality, humanity, and social conscience through a variety of media including monoprints, book arts, graphic design, painting, and drawing.

Key aspects of his art practice include:

• Artistic Focus and Themes: Morin's art often explores spirituality, the human figure, and the sacredness found in everyday life. Raised in a Catholic community in northern Maine, his works frequently reflect ritual, reverence, and grace, making the human body a central axis of his creative inquiry. His art balances traditional religious iconography with contemporary social themes, including vulnerability, identity, and democracy.

• Monoprints and Political Art: In recent years, Morin has created powerful monoprints that address timely political and social issues such as truth, democracy, and social discourse. For example, his solo exhibition “Truth, White Noise, and The Vote” (2024) featured monoprints integrating tattoo-inspired designs and phrases prevalent in public dialogue, reflecting on topics like the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision and the January 6 Capitol insurrection. These works invite viewers to contemplate the meaning and fluidity of truth in a charged political climate.

• Book Arts and Experimental Printmaking: Morin is recognized nationally as a significant book artist, blending traditional craft processes like letterpress printing and papermaking with contemporary content. His book arts work, often drawing from his interest in typography and paper, addresses themes of sacredness, humanity's self-destructive tendencies, and stigmas surrounding AIDS and homosexuality. His artist’s books are part of prominent collections such as those in the Victoria and Albert Museum, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Getty Museum, the Library of Congress, and others.

• Artistic Training and Influences: Morin studied under influential artists Roger Anliker and Walter Hamady, who played crucial roles in shaping his disciplined approach to drawing and his innovative book arts techniques. Hamady, in particular, inspired Morin to embrace the materiality of art and the narrative potential of the book form as an art environment.

• Artistic Practice as Ritual: Morin approaches his monoprint creation as a ritualistic practice, emphasizing process as a form of faith and discovery. Each monotype is unique, symbolizing the authenticity and individuality of human experience.

• Exhibitions and Collections: Morin has exhibited extensively since the 1980s, with works included in more than 140 public collections internationally, including the Smithsonian, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Jack Ginsberg Artists’ Book Collection in Johannesburg, South Africa. He has shown work in venues across the U.S. such as in Wisconsin, California, and Washington D.C., including specialized exhibits on book arts. His art also extends to graphic design projects for clients like the University of Georgia and the U.S. Women’s Rowing Team.

• Artistic Philosophy and Impact: His art is described as both "blasphemous and sacred," reflecting a tension between deification and humanization. His body of work aims to redeem overlooked materials and moments, inspiring connection and grace in both creator and viewer. Morin’s contributions through his art and his role as founder of sailorBOYpress promote the preservation and evolution of historic art processes.

In summary, Jeffrey Morin integrates his artistic practice with his academic and leadership roles, producing work that is intellectually rigorous, socially engaged, and deeply rooted in both personal faith and broader cultural critique. His art is notable for its spiritual depth, craft mastery, and active engagement with contemporary social and political issues.