Catching Up Again...

"House Finch in Snowfall"

(photograph - © Bruce A. Morrison)

Well now...we're nearly in the middle of January!  Things have been mostly digging out of the piles I left for later, these past couple of years, while I worked to put together the solo showing this past fall and winter at the Pearson Lakes Art Center. 

And the pile has been substantial!  

I have always had a slight issue with "putting things off"...especially when I have other things on my mind.  That's not so unusual is it?  I think a lot of us have the same problem.  My neglected work just happened to be a couple years or more worth of image files that had yet to be processed and filed.  That may not sound like a lot but believe me it is a real "time killer"!  I am now down to my last 30 folders of thousands of shots of birds, prairie plants, landscapes and other images I've taken in the past year.  I'm slowly making progress, I think...

But its a good time to take care of these things isn't it?  I mean its really crappy outside right now - bitterly cold and really not that visually interesting..."here" any way!  But while I sit here doing my computer house cleaning, I keep coming across files that really stop me and get me thinking...gee, that would make a great drawing or painting...or maybe that file should be marked for more work as a photograph?!  It's aggravating to not readily afford to take time out to just do these things!  If I did, I'd still be back in my 2017-2018 folders and putting off the inevitable!

So in the meantime I have rehung the gallery here, am finding work for clients searching for that something special they were looking for, practically nailed to my seat in front of the computer, and constantly being distracted by things outside my office window...doesn't really seem like much has changed!!!!!!!  Ha!

Well enough said.  If you wonder where I'm at - I'm here "catching up"!

Have a great winter and stay safe and warm out there! 

Where'd it go? Did you get it?!!

 (Pasture Sunrise - © Bruce A. Morrison)

OK...maybe the heading is over doing it, but what happened to Indian summer this fall???  I have never seen or been through an autumn season without an Indian Summer day.  Did you get lucky?  If you live south, east or west of us you likely did - I hope so!  What a sad state of affairs...no Indian Summer day this year.  

In case you don't observe these things or think about them...I've always considered a day, after the first killing frost, that reaches above 60 degrees F an Indian Summer day.  Never made it this year and I'm not being too optimistic that it will happen yet.  (I'm saying this out loud to "dare" it to happen!!!)

Its been about 6 weeks or so since my solo Exhibit "Of Moment and Place" opened at the Pearson Lakes Art Center in Okoboji, Iowa (You can read more about it here in the Discover Magazine article - "Of Moment and Place") and I am finally back on the ground here at the studio - trying to catch up with everything that sat by the way side for the past year and a half while I was trying to put this exhibit together!  

It was an over whelming experience...I have found that I can write better about how things affect me more so than I can verbalize!  Again, I was just over whelmed by it all and although the exhibit runs through into the first week of January, I'm relieved the opening night reception has passed! But it was an amazing experience and I want to thank everyone who came...I met some really nice new people as well as all my friends and collectors who came as well!

I was very honored that the Pearson Lakes Art Center also purchased a couple paintings for their permanent collection - this painting above "Mid Day Summer on Diamond Lake" and the painting below "Windrows in Cloud Shadow".  Thank you so much to the PLAC for having the confidence in me, not just for allowing me to exhibit there for 3 months but to include a couple of my paintings in their own collection!

I would also like to thank the many collectors for allowing me to borrow works back to help make this a truly cohesive collection for people to see all together.  I am in your debt and appreciate your gesture (and confidence in me) more than I can express!

Here are just a few more images of the show. As I mentioned before - the show runs till January 4th, 2020 - so if you missed it you still do have time to take it in!

Thank you for visiting the blog as well - and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone out there if I don't see you before then - have a Blessed time with your family and/or friends!

Of Moment and Place - coming soon!!!!!

 

And what have I been up to? Getting ready for a solo exhibit in 2 1/2 weeks! Actually I promised this show about 2 years ago...so its been a long haul. After promising the show, a time had to be scheduled and its surprising how far ahead these exhibits are planned! Regardless of all that - the time is drawing near and I'm still frantically framing and cataloging and labeling things here!


The Pearson Lakes Art Center will be hosting the exhibit from October 3 through January 4th. The exhibit will consist of paintings, drawings and photography and I've treated this show a bit differently, at least in my head. As far as paintings, I'm breaking these up into plein air works, studio paintings and commissioned work...some of all these never before exhibited outside my home and some from private collections of clients that have been gracious enough to loan these for this exhibit. Aside from commissioned pieces, the paintings, drawings and photographs relate to my personal interests...birds, the tallgrass prairie and to the landscape.

Oddly enough and unbeknown to many, it was "Birds" that were responsible for my beginnings in photography, drawing and painting. Many years ago I posted a blog on "where it all started"...I'll leave a link if anyone's interested. I guess we all had to start somewhere.

https://prairiepainter.blogspot.com/2010/03/from-beginning.html

Its my hope the exhibit "Of Moment and Place" will give life to the things that have been my path for the past 50-60 years.

When - October 3rd, 2019 through January 4, 2020

Opening Reception - October 3rd, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. - the public is invited!

Where - Pearson Lakes Art Center, Okoboji, Iowa
(2201 Hwy 71, Okobiji, Iowa 51355 - 712 332-7013)

More Information - https://www.lakesart.org/visual-arts/bruce-morrison-moment-and-place

This has been a very long time in coming - hope to see you there!


 

Getting Ready

 Out paint'n the Barn!

Its been a very busy summer here - all the usual summer work aside.  August has now exited and I'm still struggling to get caught up, to get ready - for my solo exhibit in 4 weeks!!! (Panic setting in...)

"Shed Gate Corner of the Old Stucco Barn"

(plein air oil painting - © Bruce A. Morrison)

The exhibit will be at the Pearson Lakes Art Center in Okoboji, Iowa...with the reception and exhibit opening on Thursday, October 3rd, from 5-7pm.  The public is 

invited!

"Summer Afternoon Along the Old Field Road"

(plein air oil painting - © Bruce A. Morrison)

Back in August, just a couple weeks ago, I participated in the Pearson Lakes Art Center's Plein Air exhibit.  We had to bring in some canvases and get their backs stamped/signed and had 6 days to go out and paint outdoor landscapes on them.  I painted 2 scenes here on the acreage and one I had scouted out south of us in the valley.

I entered 3 paintings - the painting above "Summer Afternoon Along the Old Field Road" was awarded the Juror's Award...2 of the painting sold the night of the reception and the folks that purchased the Barn painting stopped out at the studio the next day and bought another painting to go with it!  Good experience!
 

"Summer Afternoon on the NW Pasture" 

(plein air oil painting - © Bruce A. Morrison)

Now it's back inside the studio - the solo exhibit is just 4 weeks away - busy getting ready.

Hope to see you there!!! 

Plein Air Exhibition at The Pearson Lakes Art Center in Okoboji

 "Lone Bale at First Light"

oil painting - © Bruce A. Morrison

(Given the "PA Brown Best In Show" Award)

I guess I'd better update the results of the plein air painting exhibition I participated in during the last week - I will admit that I was extremely nervous about doing this and a bit overwhelmed with the results at the exhibition opening reception last night!

 "Wooded Lane No.1"

oil painting - © Bruce A. Morrison

(Given the "Judge's Choice Award")

 

I was very pleased/surprised to be awarded "Best of Show" and also one of the three "Judge's Choice" Awards.  My favorite painting of the two had already been purchased when Georgie and I arrived about 10 minutes after the start of the evening!  A double bonus right!!!  Can't complain about that :)

 

My favorite of the two was the "Wooded Lane No.1", this is a newer Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation area purchase not too far from the studio...maybe about 10 miles as-the-crow-flies.  When I made the decision to enter the exhibit I knew where my first destination would be!  This was a first for me...I usually do farmscapes or at least somewhat more open or expansive landscapes.  This was really an intimate piece - I can still hear the birds while I was there; no people to distract me - very calm and beautiful.

The second painting was a morning work (the first an afternoon time frame) and surprise, surprise - a hay bale!! Ha!  OK, about 20 percent pf my paintings and photos seem to have hay bales in them...I can't help myself! :)  I created this early morning - as soon as the fog lifted and the sun appeared - then the work began.

These are not easy for me.  I once was at a dinner with world class artists and an old "hero" bird artist of mine, Roger Tory Peterson was speaking.  One statement he said surprised me...I was young and naive...he said he always felt like he was sweating blood - stressed when creating a painting.  I couldn't see it but I've come to understand now.

I can't work magic but if I plan and work hard, I can at least be satisfied...well "some of the time"!  Hey, life's a crap shoot at best some times, right?!  Just do the best you can...if you don't care about what you're doing - drop it and move on to something you can get passionate about.

Thank you for stopping by - have a great total eclipse!!!

 

 

 

 

A.R.T - Its Just "Super"!

 "Late September Sunrise"

photograph - © Bruce A. Morrison

 

"Super Blood Moon Total Eclipse (the last of the Tetrad)"

photograph composite - © Bruce A. Morrison

Many things have been "Super" around the studio here at Prairie Hill Farm!  The "Super" sunrises, the "Super" moon; and in a week and a half a "Super" art weekend with the October 10-11, 2015 12th Annual Artisans Road Trip!

Want a "glimpse" at a "Super" 12th Annual Artisans Road Trip?!  Its coming to Arts on Grand in Spencer, Iowa on Thursday - October 1st with an Artist's Reception to kick the exhibit off from 5-8 PM!

ANOTHER "Super" glimpse - the 2015 Artisans Road Trip Exhibit will be coming to the Pearson Lakes Art Center at Okoboji, Iowa on October 8th and running through December 2015!  Get another view of a sampling from A.R.T.  An Artist's Reception will be held Thursday, October 8 from 5-7 PM.

Mark your calendars for some "SUPER" art on the 2015 Artisans Road Trip open studio tour - coming to our Studio/Gallery on Saturday/Sunday - October 10 and 11 (9Am-5PM on Saturday - 12Noon-5PM on Sunday)...we'll have wonderful art, delicious treats (voted the best on the A.R.T. circuit!), scenery and conversation!

Make a great weekend SUPER! Hope to see you there!