Morgan Dagata is always pleased when people mistake her art for a photograph.

Although it is the end goal, it is not always easy – especially for someone who refused to pick up a paintbrush for a good part of her life.

Since the pandemic, however, she has been hooked and is thrilled that one of her photorealistic paintings was accepted into the Charman Prize 2023.

Quintessential Bermuda is one of several works on display until March as part of the biennial competition at Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art. The theme of the show is The Local Seen: Bermuda and Bermudians in the Modern World.

“My piece is a collage piece and the style is relatively new to me,” said Ms Dagata, whose work usually focused on a single subject.

“Being inspired by so many things, I just kind of incorporated everything into one piece. So it's a little bit crazy but also bold and really captures just the beauty of Bermuda, its vibrancy and its rich beauty.”

St Peter’s Church, a moongate, St David’s Lighthouse, a vintage taxi, Railway Trail signs and, of course, Bermuda’s white roofs are all part of the piece.

“It really just kind of brings in different elements that kind of make Bermuda what it is,” said the artist, a digital nomad from Connecticut who moved here during the pandemic.

“When deciding to submit to the Charman, I really couldn't make up my mind as to one thing that I thought embodied Bermuda so I kind of just took all of these elements that inspired me and put them all together and submitted it. I'm really happy with the way it turned out. This was my first time submitting and I will say it was very humbling when I [was accepted] because this island has so much talent.”

She feels she inherited her love of the arts from her creative family of artists, interior designers and photographers.

In high school she continued art classes and at college in Boston studied interior design until she decided it “just wasn't where I wanted my creativity to go”.

Ms Dagata transferred to Elon University in North Carolina, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in art and then moved to New York to work as a graphic designer for a company there.

“My creativity has kind of taken all these different phases if you like, different phases of exploration. And then a few years ago in the pandemic, I picked up my paints and started creating and I really haven’t stopped since.

“My style of art is primarily focused in photorealism. My goal in my painting is to capture my subject or subjects as realistically as possible. I know that I've achieved my goal when my audience questions whether my work was a photograph or a painting.”

As a child she preferred drawing, which only required “paper, pencils and ideas”.

Painting frustrated her because it took a lot more effort.

“And not to mention, paint is also messy and it can be really expensive,” she said.

“I just never really appreciated the medium for what it was. Sometimes paint doesn't work the way you always intend it to, so learning to be patient was something that definitely aided me along the way and kind of got me to where I am.”

Although she took on the instruction she was given in art classes at college, much of the artistry comes from within.

“I think the majority of my skill, or talent if you want to call it that, is just what comes from the dedication and time that I've put into painting these past few years. I think a lot of it is self-taught but I obviously have to credit some of it to my schools and my lessons that I took. I think it's a good blend of both.”

Her works are primarily landscapes although she has also had great success painting people’s pets.

“But really it’s just whatever inspires me in the moment, which is ever changing. I've gone through phases where I love painting birds that are colourful, painting landscapes, painting houses – it really just kind of changes whatever mood that I'm feeling in and whenever I feel it's inspiring at that moment.”

It took about a month for her to come up with a digital design of Quintessential Bermuda and nearly three weeks to paint it.

“I’ve exhibited in a small show in Connecticut with a bunch of other artists. And then I submitted a few pieces into the Bermuda Society of Arts Members’ Winter Show a few years back, but other than that I really haven't exhibited as much as I’d prefer. A major goal of mine this year is to create a little bit more balance in my work life so I can create a collection of work that I can show.”

In the meantime she feels fortunate to have the daily inspiration that Bermuda gives her.

“I've lived here for three years and my boyfriend is a born and raised Bermudian. There are things that I will ask him about in terms of the history of the island. Or we'll be on a drive and I'm just kind of inspired and overwhelmed by Bermuda's rich history and its beauty. I feel like I'm always seeing it with fresh eyes. I'm always inspired by this tiny island.”

• For more on Morgan Dagata visitmorgandagata.com/. For information on the Charman Prize, visit www.masterworksbermuda.org