"On the Shore" by Gail Morris

New horizons are exactly what renowned abstract landscape artist Gail Morris experienced as she traveled around the world this past year. Her journeys led her to countries such as Sweden, Japan, Fiji, and Holland.  Now she is coming to Scottsdale to share her worldly expeditions with Bonner David Galleries, and we are so excited to welcome her back! Morris’s soft, colorful panorama depictions are always breathtaking. Her latest collection “New Horizons” leaves us completely awestruck. Contemporary, yet traditional, her effortless brushstrokes and lines evoke emotions reminding one of the true essence of nature. 

Morris’s passion for painting evolved from her previous work as a photojournalist. Her inspiring artistic talent was revealed after studies with mentors in Haiti and collaboration with other accomplished artists in the U.S. She has been awarded numerous prizes for her participation in juried shows and continues to astonish all who view her remarkable landscapes. Her unique style captures the interest of collectors worldwide. 

"La Mer" by Gail Morris

Morris’s newest compilation “New Horizons” encompasses her travels abroad. As an environmentalist, Morris emphasizes the fresh, natural beauty of scenery by leaving out any man-made structures from her canvases. In “New Horizons”, she explores different standpoints by altering her point of view from standing on land to floating on a boat, flying on a plane, or swimming in the ocean. This master colorist enhances her palette by saturating bright, complementary shades that truly encapsulate the exquisiteness of each serene vista she paints. Morris’s signature style is founded on her uncompromising balance between realism and abstraction in order to portray nature at its finest. This concept is reflected throughout her entire collection, which showcases scenery such as grandeur landscapes in Europe and stormy skies of Hawaii. 

We were determined to speak with the creator of these elegant paintings to shed some light on her journey around the world and about “New Horizons”. Here is what Morris shared with us! 

Bonner David: Do you have a motto you live by? 

Morris: Strive to capture, and find, the beauty in the moment. (And never take “no” for an answer). 

Bonner David: What is the last book you read? 

Morris: “A Bend in the River” by V. S. Naipaul. It opens with one of the best lines ever written, “The world is what it is; men who are nothing, who allow themselves to become nothing, have no place in it.”   

Bonner David: What’s the most interesting meal you ate while traveling abroad this past year? 

Morris: Our Japanese friends took my husband and I to a lush and expensive sushi restaurant located in the mountains several hours from Tokyo. We were taken with great ceremony to a small private tea house that was built over a meandering stream. There were beautiful koi fish swimming underneath us. When the first plate came, we saw a very thin and transparent piece of fish on each white plate. It was carp (a.k.a. koi). Next, we had land snails. We eventually understood that everything that swam or crawled on the property was being served to us. We had about 4 oz. of food in 4 hours, but there was “100 year old frozen sake” to wash it down with, so the 3 hour drive back to Tokyo was pretty relaxing. The land snails still worry me. 

Bonner David: What place had the biggest influence on your new collection and why? 

Morris: The Pacific Ocean. From California to Japan. I painted the fog and coastal grasslands in California, the dry volcanic vistas and stormy skies of Hawaii, and massive sunrises and brilliantly clear waters of Fiji. I am still working on some aerial views of the ocean which are very challenging.  These should be available at Bonner David in the early autumn. 

Bonner David: What emotions do you wish to evoke from your audience with your new paintings? 

Morris: Something peaceful. The feeling that there is a story just below the surface of the painting. A sensation of slipping in and out of dreams, going from Beta to Alpha brain waves. I play with thinned paint and many layers of color to create this subtle interplay. That is why I like big skies, a big ocean, fields of grain, and vistas bisected by a horizon line that keeps everything grounded. My paintings always begin with a real place. Then I deconstruct many of them into shapes and colors. My ideal painting keeps this balance and allows each viewer to float into their own free association and creative emotions. I am not presenting intellectual challenges but I am proposing emotional and meditational ones. 

Bonner David: The best advice anyone has ever given you? 

Morris: I have received so much good advice in my lifetime. Much of it from my husband Jim and my own children. However, when I was about 24 I met my hero, HENRY MILLER, (“Tropic of Cancer”) at his home in Pacific Palisades. We became friends for several years. He told me to write about, and paint about, the things that I loved, and to never be afraid of what people might think or say about me. He gave me one of his books called “To Paint is to Love Again.” When I became a full-time artist, I began to really understand that title. To paint is to love again.   

"Soft Glow Hillside" by Gail Morris

The opening reception for Gail Morris’s stunning collection “New Horizons” will be held at Bonner David Galleries (map) on March 11, 2010 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. We look forward to a lively show with this master colorist and hope you will celebrate her extraordinary art with us! 

To read her full bio and view a complete collection of Gail Morris’s work please click here. 

If you would like to receive more information about Gail Morris or to obtain a preview of the upcoming collection please contact us at art@bonnerdavid.com or call us at 480.941. 8500.  

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