Illustration graduate from Central Saint Martins, Freya Morgan, teams up with one of Brighton’s most creative agencies Bozboz, for Cone Magazine, to talk about her wonderfully weird world where plants swap places with humans, and the fear that comes with growing up.
Bozboz: What are the difficulties for a young person today trying to make it in the creative industry?
Freya: Having to put yourself out there. Having the self-confidence that your work is good enough and potential employers aren’t just going to laugh at it and be like ‘why did you even apply for this, you suck!’ You want to be original, but then at the same time a lot of places just want you to do stuff that they’ve seen. It’s all about compromise I guess. Saying this, with poor employment prospects a lot of young people today seem to be inventing themselves a job instead. I really respect that. The hard thing is turning a hobby into a lifestyle. You need money to do these things too. It’s about having to make decisions early on and sticking to them.
Bozboz: Would you like to start up your own business/go freelance?
Freya: I definitely wouldn’t like to start up my own business at any time soon because I have no money and I’m unemployed. At the moment I’m doing some part-time freelance work, which is great when I get it but it’s not enough to live off.
Bozboz: So would you like to work for a business?
Freya: Yeah probably, anything with a salary and that I didn’t completely disagree with.
Bozboz: Favourite advert?
Freya: Well, I don’t have a TV and I only watch things on 40d using the ad blocker so I haven’t really seen any. When I was younger I really liked the adverts that Walkers crisps had with Gary Lineker!
Bozboz: Favourite track of the moment?
Freya: Texas Love by Young Thug, although I don’t think it’s a recent track. He’s just really weird which is what I love about him. He doesn’t give a f***k.
Bozboz: Favourite place in London?
Freya: My bed…room! I like Clapton, I like it by the River Lea. It’s like Oxford but in London. I just want to be around nature.
Bozboz: Did you enjoy your time at Central Saint Martins and do you think it really lives up to the name of ‘best Arts school in the world’?
Freya: I did really love it for the last year – it’s just nice to be around your friends. I don’t know though, does it live up to that? Maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t. Who am I to judge? I’m extremely inspired by the people I’m around, like having your mates around you when you are all working is just the best thing ever. My tutors were amazing too, and having access to all the facilities – especially the free screenprinting workshops.
Bozboz: What’s a bit of advice you could give to someone in your position four years ago?
Freya: Just do your own thing. Pick what you are good at and keep doing it. Make sure that your work actually means something. If it can be something you actually care about you are much more likely to produce better work, and it is so much more interesting. That’s the problem with growing up and becoming an adult – you don’t just get to do want you want anymore!
Bozboz: What do you think is the future of social media and digital marketing?
Freya: I literally have no idea. I think if anything people will rise against it. It’s just annoying, like a niggling thing in the background. I think the main reason people use it is for escapism and for validation a lot of the time. It’s just weird, it’s boring. People get boring using it. You can just go out into the world and see what’s really happening. You don’t have to go on Instagram to see people taking pictures of themselves. You can just walk through the streets and it’s the same. It’s weird, I don’t get it.
Bozboz: Do you think it could be utilised to change what it has created?
Freya: No because I think people are too conceited and self-obsessed to do anything for the major good.
Bozboz: Do you think your website is an important platform for a young creative like yourself?
Yes having a website is the MOST important thing. Otherwise people don’t know where to contact you, and you can’t see your work anywhere. You need a website. That’s one of the most important ways of getting work noticed – it’s your own platform. It’s how you get work – out of all the tiny amounts of work that I have, it’s all been through my website.
Bozboz: What were your main inspirations for your latest artwork?
Freya: My love of plants, and questioning people’s monopoly on the earth. We abuse it, we think we are so great but really we kind of suck. I also would cite the movie Alien, Habbo Hotel, Sim City 3000 and The Simpsons as some more sources of inspiration. Oh and sci-fi.
Bozboz: How do you make your work?
I drew it first, then I went over in illustrator, and then I screen printed each layer. It’s really fun.
Bozboz: Have you sold many?
It depends where and when I have the opportunity to do so. When I was selling them at the CSM degree show I made about £600. It was great. Those screen prints are what’s paying my rent at the moment.
Bozboz: What would you like to achieve in the future?
My absolute dream is to have a small studio with all of my friends which we work from – people can do their freelance stuff and it would have a really nice vibes. The problem is nobody at the moment has enough money at the moment and we need to establish ourselves better as artists. That’s kind of everyone’s dream isn’t it ? It is just to be around people you like, other creatives who you get inspiration from. You can do your own work or do joint projects which is always fun. Creatives are always better when they have someone to bounce their ideas off.
Bozboz: What does your artwork mean to you personally?
It’s really just a reflection of my views on life.
Bozboz: Is that figure in the plant pot meant to be you?
No of course it’s not me! I’m not an Asexual gender neutral blob man. He is a metaphor for humankind. The human has swapped roles with the plant – the project is called ‘If people were like plants’. They have switched places – I think people think they are too important, but I don’t think we matter that much in the grand scheme of things, we are just another thing that lives on the earth. We are just too obsessed with other humans. It’s kind of like an exercise in self-reflection and empathy. The message is: don’t get too caught up in everything – even though it’s impossible to not think about your bills and s***. I mean it doesn’t really matter…well It does, but it shouldn’t. It’s all like a fake system anyway.
Bozboz: Do you look at other people’s artwork for inspiration?
I love looking at other people’s work, but I would never look at it for inspiration. Really I just love isometric grids and angle of perspective. I don’t think you should look at other people’s work for inspiration because you will always end up copying it. And then you can’t really achieve anything that unique.
Bozboz: Where do you see yourself at 50?
Freya: A retired person who just lies in the sun. With a dog.
Bozboz: What do you think about the Brighton scene?
Freya: What do I think of the Brighton scene? I dunno but it looks good.
Having recently been selected as one of the top Graduates to come out of 2016 by Creative Reviews Talentspotting scheme, Freya’s work can be found on JCDecaux digital screens all over the UK, including major railway stations, shopping centres and roadways.
Check out Freya Morgan’s website for more of her talents: www.freya-morgan.com
Bozboz is a leading digital agency in Brighton. With a strong creative team of 28 digital strategists, graphic designers and developers, Bozboz believes in giving young people opportunities and furthering their own career in the direction they want to see it go. Bozboz MAS is the side of the company which specialises in art and music and likes to support young emerging talents. To find out more, visit the website: https://www.bozboz.co.uk