Melissa Morgan Fine Art in Palm Desert, California. Above the sign is "Halo," a work in neon by Anthony James. Photo courtesy Melissa Morgan Fine Art.




Melissa Morgan Fine Art Blends Blue-Chip Art with 
the Best of Southern California






Melissa Morgan, Founder/Owner of Melissa Morgan Fine Art. Photo courtesy Melissa Morgan Fine Art.

Melissa Morgan is the founder and owner of Melissa Morgan Fine Art, an expansive art gallery on El Paseo Drive in Palm Desert, an affluent community in Southern California. The 6,000-square-foot gallery and outdoor sculpture garden feature artworks by Carole Feuerman, Anthony James, Ed Moses, and James Surls, among many others. Incollect spoke with her about selling art to designers, her love of the outdoors, and her passion for community engagement. 





by Benjamin Genocchio



Tell us about your background.

I grew up on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, which helped me develop a deeply personal connection to nature, culture, and art. I was later drawn to the Palm Springs area because of the cultural offerings. We have one of the finest mid-sized museums in North America here, world-renowned golf, spectacular music venues, shopping, and restaurants, not to mention the proximity to Joshua Tree and a few surrounding metropolitan cities. 



A work by Anthony James from his Portal Series — Platonic Solids, in the outdoor sculpture garden at Melissa Morgan Fine Art. Photo courtesy Melissa Morgan Fine Art.



When was Melissa Morgan Fine Art founded?

I started my first gallery over 23 years ago, called Modern Masters. In 2009, I established Melissa Morgan Fine Art here, with the dealer Alec Longmuir. The goal then and now was to fuse a blue-chip art program of important, mid-career contemporary artists with a strong focus on Southern California. 



Sculptures of bathers by artist Carole A. Feuerman in the gallery at Melissa Morgan Fine Art. Photo courtesy Melissa Morgan Fine Art.



What is the scene like in Palm Desert?

Palm Desert has a vibrant and diverse art scene that attracts artists, sophisticated collectors, and art enthusiasts from around the world. Greater Palm Springs is home to a variety of art galleries, museums, and cultural institutions that showcase a wide range of things. We also host one of the biggest art and music festivals in the world, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. 



Is it a year-round scene or seasonal?

With the high temperatures in the summer months, Palm Desert's season is fast and furious from October to May. During these months, there are dynamic experiences and events taking place almost every day of the week. 



A section of the sculpture garden at night, Melissa Morgan Fine Art. Photo courtesy Melissa Morgan Fine Art.



What do you show in the gallery and sculpture garden? 

Our 6,000-square-foot gallery and the half-acre outdoor sculpture garden is one of the biggest art venues in Palm Desert. The gallery currently represents more than 30 international contemporary artists working in all forms of media. All of our monumental artworks are showcased in our outdoor sculpture garden that features sculptures by Bruce Beasley, Curt Brill, Peter Busby, and David Robinson among many others.



Photographs by David Yarrow on display at Melissa Morgan Fine Art. Photo courtesy Melissa Morgan Fine Art.



Whose artwork are you especially excited about?

In late 2023 we started representing the British fine-art photographer David Yarrow. The subjects of his photography include supermodels, sports stars, and wildlife. His images are stunning and thought-provoking, and his passion for wildlife conservation is inspiring. 



Where are your clients based? How important are online platforms today for reaching new audiences and clients?

Our clients come from all walks of life and from all over the world. Because of the extreme seasons in the desert, online platforms allow our gallery to keep our clients up to date with our inventory.



Leonardo Marmol, Where Falls the Perfect Morning II, 2022. Oil and cold wax on board, 36 x 48 in. The artist is a founding partner of the AD100 architecture and interior design firm Marmol Radziner. Photo courtesy Melissa Morgan Fine Art.



Who are some of the artists you show that deserve more attention?  

I would highlight multiple artists local to the greater Palm Springs area such as Ryan Campbell, Pamela Beck, Luc Bernard, and Leo Marmol. 




Left:   Ryan Campbell, Line Segments Black Works One, 2021. Acrylic and spray paint on canvas, 60 x 48 in. Right: Luc Bernard, Parity no. 2, 2021. Oil on canvas, 48 x 42 in.  Photos courtesy Melissa Morgan Fine Art.



How many shows do you do a year?

The gallery hosts 4-6 major exhibitions each year, plus we participate in multiple national and international art fairs, and we also do off-site exhibitions. One of our most recent off-site exhibitions that we are proud of was Anthony James's solo exhibition at the Kellogg University Art Gallery on the CalPoly Pomona campus. 



Andy Moses, Geomorphology 1510, 2023, Acrylic on canvas over concave wood panel, 52 x 84 in. Photo courtesy Melissa Morgan Fine Art.



Do you work with interior designers and architects on placing art in homes? 

Of course! We often work closely with designers and architects to curate collections of artwork for the interiors and exteriors of homes, offices, and gardens. It is a big part of our business and rewarding.  




Left:  Jimi Gleason, Orbit, 2019. Acrylic on canvas, 20 x 16 in. Right: Bruce Beasley, Torqueri VI-RS, 2018. Stainless steel, 45 x 27 x 24 in.  Photos courtesy Melissa Morgan Fine Art.





Anthony James, 60" Triacontahedron (Solar White). Powder-coated stainless steel, specialized glass, LED, 60 in. Photo courtesy Melissa Morgan Fine Art.
 

How does art transform an interior — in short, why buy art for the home? 

My ethos as a gallerist is rooted in the intimacy of art and the belief that we can learn much about ourselves, and others, through interacting with and sharing art. Art in your home allows you to express your personality, evokes emotions and memories, and creates a more enriched living environment.



What do you have on the walls in your homes? 

I tend to have rotating collections in my homes and consider myself to have an eclectic style. I like to combine diverse elements of styles and textures to create a captivating living space. I've had a four-foot-tall ceramic unicorn by Nobuhito Nishigawara, pencil works by Ed Ruscha, large-scale mixed media by Deborah Oropallo installed together in one room, and more. 





Joseph McDonnell, Desert Light, 2022. Blown glass chandelier, 40 x 21 in. Photo courtesy Melissa Morgan Fine Art.
 

In addition to running a gallery, you are actively involved in local art education. Can you tell us about that? 

For the last 12 years, I've partnered with the Idyllwild Arts Academy to host a student exhibition where 100% of the sales of student art goes directly to the students and the school. Recently I began working with the Academy of Musical Performance in Indio, CA to have the student bands perform concerts in our sculpture garden on the first Friday of each month. I am also proud of the local charities we support through hosting fundraisers in the gallery: Bighorn BAM, Food Now, The Chosen Family Project, and the Palm Springs Art Museum.




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