Morgan Granzow: Art, Anatomy, and the Science of Beauty

For Morgan Granzow (BFA ​’25), art has always been more than self-expression — it’s a way to understand the body, bridge science and design, and challenge conventional ideas of beauty.

A graduating senior at the Stamps School of Art & Design, Morgan has channeled a lifelong fascination with human anatomy and medical illustration into a deeply personal and thought-provoking Integrative Project. Inspired by her own experiences with hearing loss and shaped by years of curiosity, exploration, and resilience, her work invites viewers to see beneath the surface, both literally and metaphorically.

In this Q&A, Morgan shares how her love for scientific illustration and the intricacies of the human body evolved into a final project that blends oil painting, ceramic sculpture, and critical inquiry. She opens up about her creative process, the challenges of working with scale and materials, and the mentors and moments at Stamps that helped shape her voice as both an artist and a future scientific illustrator.

What inspired your IP project, and how did you develop the concept?

My senior Integrative Project was inspired by my love for anatomy and science in relation to art and design. Throughout my late adolescent years and still now, I have always been fascinated with scientific illustration and human anatomy, in particular. I grew up with profound hearing loss, which caused me to have to be in and out of doctor and audiologist offices. In these medical settings, I was surrounded by anatomical posters and scientific magazines and have always been fascinated with them. These visuals inspired me because they allowed me to process and understand what I was going through. I found a certain beauty in the anatomical structures that many did not find attractive. 

I have always found it strangely intriguing how the structures beneath our bodies determine who we are as individuals. Our anatomical structures are so complex and every minute detail contributes to determining how one’s life turns about. Things as small as nerve endings, or as large as the skeletal system, come together to form a utterly unique life.

There is something deeply beautiful about how much there is to understand about the human body and how each piece fits perfectly together. This helped me develop the concept for my work because I wanted my final project to be something important to myself as an artist, but also aid my future career. The process of creating scientific work astonishes me because I felt more attraction with every piece of information gained. In terms of this project, I wanted to create work that challenged my own research and ability to create scientifically accurate work, but also create something that would challenge the viewer’s perception of beauty. Societal standards oftentimes force women to feel like they need to look a certain way to be ​“beautiful”. This raised the question of what makes an individual beautiful? Beneath the surface of our skin, the anatomical structures determine who we are as individuals, so do these structures determine our beauty? I feel that all anatomy is beautiful, but we don’t find every person attractive. Our anatomical structures create and dismantle aspects of our identities and physical appearance. Therefore, I hope that my work invites viewers to question their perception of beauty, feel disgusted, or be intrigued.

Can you walk me through your creative process from idea to execution?

I feel that a majority of my ideas for creation come from connections to past projects or experiences. Whenever I am stuck on what to create next, I like to draw connections or create puzzle scenarios between my own work. I do this by free writing or creating web maps of various concepts, words, or themes that I want to explore. In this particular project, I developed it by creating a web map of past projects that felt unfinished or there was something more I wanted to achieve. Oftentimes, I discover the true meaning of the work in the middle of creating, rather than before I start. When I come up with an idea, I like to sketch it out in various ways. I usually create quick sketches or take a lot of notes about directions the project could go in or what it could look like in the end. Then, I would take all those sketches and ideas and immerse myself in them, while executing the final project. I believe that projects can change, while you create, because there is no perfect planning in art & design. You must begin creating to figure out what you truly want to create. 

What materials or techniques are you exploring, and why did you choose them for this project?

I chose to work with oil painting for my final project at Stamps because I felt like it was the most memorable way to say goodbye. In my application for Stamps, I mainly submitted paintings, but during my time at Stamps, I spent so much time trying new things and eventually found my way back to loving oil paint. However, I also developed a strong love for ceramics during my time here, so my large centerpiece will be a ceramic sculpture. In terms of techniques, I plan to do a lot of exploration and research with charcoal and carbon dust, as it’s a common material in scientific illustration. I will focus on the realism aspect by observing perspective, proportion, and color in relation to its neighboring structures.

How does this project reflect your personal style or artistic voice?

I believe this project reflects my ability to create realistic work, as well as touch on something I always wanted people to know about me. The main thing I like to voice in my work is my love for science and encouraging society to recognize the importance of scientific illustrators. It seems that society has a misconception that artists are just creative people or lack intelligence, but artists are so much more than that. Fields like scientific illustration are absolutely necessary for the researchers to visualize their findings and for educational purposes for understanding. I feel that this project reflects that and also shows my intentions as an artist. I feel that I am so much more than someone who is creative, I also believe I am intelligent and clever, which I want people to see in my work. I feel that my art represents who I am as an individual because it shows my strengths and talents, while also touching on the experiences I have gone through that have made me who I am.

What challenges did you face while working on this project, and how did you overcome them?

One of the main challenges I have faced is I initially planned to create a life-size ceramic anatomical model; however, we do not have access to a kiln large enough for this piece. This has forced me to debate whether to create it in many parts, or try working with plaster, which I haven’t yet done. I’ve decided to do some material explorations with various plasters in order to create the body, but will still use porcelain to create the inside of the body (internal organs).

How do you hope viewers will engage with or interpret your work?

I hope that viewers will see my work and challenge their perception of beauty and disgust. Internal anatomy is often associated with death and decay, but I want to shine them in a different light. I intend to showcase them as a form of beauty, inviting the viewers to see things differently. However, I recognize that not everyone will find them beautiful in the way that I do, so instead, I invite my audience to be intrigued, be disgusted, admire, or feel conflicted with my work. Generally, I hope that this work educates my viewers about the field of medical and scientific illustration and highlights the importance of my desired career path!

What advice would you give students interested in an art and design degree here at Stamps?

My biggest advice is to take advantage of the resources Stamps has. There are so many opportunities and information available at your disposal that can alter your experience at U‑M greatly! I would also encourage students to do their research on what they want to get out of an art degree. I believe that every artist flourishes under different circumstances and U‑M can be perfect for many, and not for others. I feel that Stamps is heavy on experimentation and trying new things, which has been wonderful in many ways, but also didn’t allow me to specify in science art, which is what I’ve always dreamed of, even before attending. However, it’s important to recognize that art school isn’t just about the education, it’s also about the connections you make. U‑M, being a research heavy and medical school, allowed me to form connections with Michigan Medicine and CELL-MET, which have given me some wonderful commissions and jobs and I hope to further connect with them after graduation. Therefore, my advice is to just research what the schools have to offer and trust your gut in making the choice.