Perry Morgan III was born in Savannah, Ga., raised in New Orleans and Southern California, and attended California State University, receiving a BFA in Studio Art and an M.A. in Psychology. Although employed in clinical settings for a number of years, Perry returned to his true passion, creating art, upon his return to New Orleans in the late 1980s. He has been a resident of New Orleans ever since.
Perry has worked in various media including clay, assemblage, painted wood, canvas, and silk. In early 1990, he opened Morgan-West Contemporary Studio/Gallery on Magazine Street, showing his own work and those of fellow artists for fourteen years until the gallery closed in 2004. Perry was an exhibitor at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in Contemporary Crafts for thirteen years. In 1993, he was honored as the Patron Artist of the local PBS affiliate, WYES, for "Art Collection 12." His hand-painted silks won three Alpha Awards for excellence in Fashion Accessory Design. Over the course of his art career, Perry has gained a wide following for his decorative silks, ceramic masks, “Trash and Flash” jewelry, and art furniture.
In early 2005, Perry began working in the Art Department and New Development for House of Blues Corporate. Significantly, HOB keeps the largest private collection of American Folk Art in the United States. The HOB team of artists, designers and craftsmen facilitate restoration, design, painting and scenic applications for use in new and existing HOB music venues and retail shops.
Perry’s recent work, acrylic paintings on wood, are reflective of much of the “folk art” milieu of working with HOB. Although not self-taught, Perry incorporates the sensibility and elements of tribal art into his own dream-like, stylized imagery. Perry also claims Matisse, Robert Gordy and Outside Art as continuing inspiration.