Happy Thanksgiving!

"Woodland Winter"

photograph - © Bruce A. Morrison

Its nearly Thanksgiving here!  Its definitely not winter but I posted the image above because it actually reminds me of years past in late November here in NW Iowa!  If you looked out the window or stepped out onto the studio's deck right now you'd either think it was early spring or fall...it is so pleasant out!

I took the photograph above at Woodman Hollow, a state preserve south of Ft Dodge, Iowa, along the Des Moines River, some years back.  The shot was from what you'd call a small Goat Prairie along a ridge within view of the river below.  This same ridge in the summer had a nice small compliment of prairie flowers and grasses; its a wonder the timber hadn't yet taken it over.  Looking through the branches and late hanging oak leaves, across the ravine toward the neighboring hillside of timber and sparse openings, creates a very satisfying, and almost "decorative" view of the winter season.

The photograph is also in the spirit of the coming Holiday season, and the exhibits I'm working with during the next few weeks.

Christmas in the Gallery coming to Arts on Grand in Spencer, Iowa on December 4, 2012 through January 5, 2013.

Over 20 artists will transform the exhibit gallery into a decorated shop of art gifts - from small decorations, cards, jewelry, and pottery, to small and large unframed and framed prints, photographs and paintings. The theme is just like it sounds - Christmas, the holidays and the winter season!

"Winter Stubble, Bales"

oil painting -  © Bruce A. Morrison

I'll have several brand new winter themed signed cards available, as well as 2 brand new note card collections - one a new NW Iowa Scenic Card collection of "Winter themed" photographs; the other will be a new Artwork Note Card Collection, also "Winter themed"! I'll also have several new framed silkscreen prints and photographs, as well as some winter themed NW Iowa landscape drawings and paintings available - such as "Winter Stubble, Bales", the oil painting illustrated above.
 

I'll also be in Peterson, Iowa for a Holiday Open House on December 8th. I'll have work at Barb McGee's Gallery in downtown Peterson...will be fun spending some time with friends there!

And right now I'm participating in the final exhibit of the season, with the Artisans Road Trip in Clear Lake, Iowa at the Clear Lake Art Center.  It started today and runs through January 5 of 2013...a great bunch of artists! 
 

I won't be taking in Black Friday sales this year but will be here at the studio for anyone needing to do Christmas shopping!  I don't like the idea of crushing crowds and elbows kneading their way to special buys, like on Black Friday. I Do Like giving my business to local small businesses though - that money stays in the communities we support and benefits my neighbors as well as my own family!
 

I will be open during the next day - Small Business Saturday - you can count on that!  And we do appreciate your business and support, on any and all days throughout the year!!!

I want to wish you all out there a wonderful November, and a Happy Thanksgiving!  Be good to one another and enjoy your friends and family this week and always!

  

Brown is Back

Corn Shock November

photograph © Bruce A. Morrison

Its well into November and I am just beginning to catch up with the business of a small art studio.  There is always the framing, website development, print work, and everything else that cuts into the actual creative process.  But that's OK sometimes...we're into the blah colors of the season now.  Even though I always think of Autumn as a season of wonderful colors...the transition from greens to rusts, reds, yellows, and orange; it eventually turns brown.  Brown is back.  A good time to get the less fun things taken care of right?

Well, I'd really like to get all those things out of the way and soon!  This is also the perfect time of year to be working at the easel and drawing board!  There's very little out there to distract a person so you can get a lot done inside. 

The image at the head of this installment is of a corn field near here many years ago while I was carrying the "big" camera around.  I shot 4X5 large format for easily 30 years or more...most of the time with a heavy old dude that I still have, a camera only one year younger than I!   I was driving south along hwy 59 one early November afternoon and passed this corn field being "shocked" (I guess you'd call it?) and pulled over.  There were a couple guys working together on the corn and I asked if I could photograph the shocks.  

The light wasn't particularly wonderful and it was pretty windy but this type of harvest doesn't occur anymore and I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity.  Why they were working their hind ends off on an old, old method of putting up their corn I can't say - I just wanted to see if I could get it on film!

Its a nostalgic look isn't it; one beckoning way back to both of my grandfather's days...kind of puts a tint of beauty back into this landscape...

Brown is back, but we'll spin some gold from it when we can.