Parch: A New Body of Work by Lee J Morgan
Written by
22 January 2026
•
3 min read
Drawn from famous love letters throughout history, the collection takes its cues from deeply personal correspondences between figures such as John Keats, Ludwig van Beethoven, Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, Lord Byron, Napoleon Bonaparte, Virginia Woolf and Leo Tolstoy. Rather than illustrating these stories directly, Morgan distils their emotional essence into abstract compositions that feel aged, softened and deliberately understated, like parchment weathered over time.
Each work in the Parch collection is characterised by subtle marks, softened edges and deeply layered surfaces that shift with quiet intention. Rich in texture and tonal nuance, the paintings reveal themselves slowly, rewarding close attention rather than immediate impact. Though pared back in form, the works hold a delicate complexity, balancing stillness with emotional depth.
In a departure from conventional presentation, each artwork is accompanied by an original handwritten love letter, rendered on parchment paper by a Melbourne-based calligrapher. These letters sit alongside the works as narrative artefacts, offering context without instruction and adding an editorial layer that deepens the experience of living with the piece.
The collection reflects Morgan’s ongoing interest in how art operates within interiors. Her works are often sought out for spaces where cohesion, calm and material sensitivity matter, environments where artwork is not the focal point, but an anchoring presence. With their strength, sentiment and restraint, the Parch works bring unity to a room, acting either as a quiet counterpoint to expressive materials or as a grounding backdrop to more prominent architectural features.
We Were Destined
Inspired by a letter written by Winston Churchill to his wife Clementine in January 1935, this work reflects a moment of vulnerability, gratitude and enduring devotion, expressed simply as a husband writing in absence.
100 × 120 cm
Acrylic on cotton duck canvas
Krylon matt finish
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Think of Me Sometimes
Drawn from a letter written by Lord Byron to Countess Teresa Guiccioli in August 1819, this work reflects longing shaped by distance and circumstance, capturing a love sustained through absence, uncertainty and quiet insistence.
177 × 87 cm
Acrylic on cotton duck canvas
Krylon matt finish
Make Wild Promises
Based on a letter written by King Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn around 1527, this work reflects desire and devotion expressed in pursuit, capturing the vulnerability of a king offering love, loyalty and a future not yet secured.
76 × 102 cm
Acrylic on cotton duck canvas
Krylon matt finish
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What I Can Give You
Albert Einstein wrote to Mileva Marić in March 1901 while the two were living apart, and this work reflects youthful devotion and quiet hope, capturing a moment of affection, reassurance and belief in a shared future before fame and circumstance intervened.
76 × 102 cm
Acrylic on cotton duck canvas
Krylon matt finish
View here
About Lee J Morgan
Lee J Morgan is an abstract artist known for large-scale works that bring calm and cohesion to interior spaces. With a background spanning 30 years in brand and customer experience design, her practice is shaped by a refined sensitivity to colour, form and visual balance. Based in north-western Sydney, Lee works with clients across Australia and internationally.
