a piece I should wait to work on... but I'm not.

This is a quick in progress shot of a piece I've been dabbling with for the last month or so. The shot is in reverse because I took it with the photobooth program here on my little maccy. I'm planning on adding much collage to this piece, it also includes much more invented rendering than most of my work, i.e. no photo reference for certain parts. I'm enjoying it immensely, but currently should be working on two other pieces that I have an Oct. 15th deadline for... this piece symbolizes two things I should be doing, one: not this piece, two: sleeping. for real. The foreground hand is only in its first three layers of work, very unfinished, you can see the difference in tonality and color between the two hands, and working up the wrist. The photos were taken at sunset and the colors are very rich and varied I am especially in love with the blues. I liked this particular shot because of the way the negative space in the background hand created a symbolic eye. Also it has been interesting drawing a face with gravity pushing the features sideways, since it's my own face I'm especially aware of the differences. I've been trying to avoid using myself as a model as much, but I'm right here when I need someone, and I know exactly what the artist wants. Sometimes I'm hard to pass up, what can I say.

The Next Show : a brief musing

I'm currently working on two pieces for my next show in March in Oklahoma City. I haven't entirely articulated what the blanket concept for this body of work is going to be, and the two works currently in process are very disparate in nature, though the mediums and styles unite them. One is a new drawing of a 'hand tree' or 'angel' an example of which is the header for this here blog, the other is me... sleeping... with airplanes... maybe...

I built 'Beguiled' my last show on a very specific theme, and I really enjoyed having the foundation of women in folklore to build upon, but now I want to loosen the reins a bit, wiggle in new ideas that may not necessarily fit into a single box.

Also in this last group of works I challenged myself to remove all nonessential information, wanting to shed my reputation for needing to fill every single space in a work with decorative material. (horror vacui) I shall restrain myself no longer! There will be airplanes... lots and lots of airplanes... in one of the two pieces currently resting on my drafting table... however I have learned some true moderation from my year of blank backgrounds and the 'hand tree' piece will have very little going on beyond the subject itself.

I know I'm talking in very vague terms, with no photos as of yet to explain myself. Describing art and the ideas that surround it with no visual reference is akin to trying to describe a smell; mostly impossible and rather frustrating... but here we are. The only comfort I can give you dear reader is the knowledge that these things shall reveal themselves in time... much like the true nature of this next group of works. I can't wait, can you?

TONIGHTS OPENING!

Tonight, Sept. 4th, 6-9pm @ The Base Gallery. Last Chance to catch me and "Beguiled : The Folklore of Women" in the same room together. Please come out and visit, show runs through Sept. 24th.

The Base Gallery is in the basement of the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center, 2012 Baltimore Rd. KCMO

12 x 12

Here is this years 12 x 12, possibly my favorite arts-org. fund raiser, it is a great event for a great organization. You can see last years piece above, as the title art for this blog, and the year before that is prominently featured on my business card, the work I've produced for 12x12 has been some of my very best in my personal opinion, I seem to grow with these pieces. I spent a ridiculous amount of time on last years piece, absolutely worth it for the personal advancement and education, it was a huge leap forward for me. This years work turned out so much better than it appeared it would half way through the process, *wipes brow* sepias and grey tones always give me trouble, but I'm quite please with the results. Please come this year if you'll be in the OKC area on Sept. 26th. Get all the info :Here:

Beguiled Opening

Beguiled opened last weekend, and it was a wonderful evening! All my favorite people came out of the woodwork, and many new faces shared great ideas and feelings with me regarding the new artwork. It rocked. The cherrie on top goes to Josh Rizer for letting me share his lovely after party. He had an opening that night as well, please check out his tight writing and great paintings Here. Below are some photos from the festivities. Now, I'm gunna enjoy a little down time, and relax after teaching another week of summer camp before hitting the drawing board again. Yes soon there shall be news, but for now there is only a late Sunday brunch in my future. ahhhh.

Photo credits for this post, and all shots from the preview party go to RC Morrison (me daddy).

My Show Review on OVAC's Blog

check it out here:

http://ovac.blogspot.com/2009/08/exhibitions-jp-morrison-at-pearl.html

The Previews Perfection

Last night was the preview party here in Tulsa. It was wonderful. The questions, interest, support, and kind words have given me such a wonderful lift. I can't wait for the next big shindig in Kansas City August 7th. Thanks to all who attended here in Tulsa, I really was overwhelmed with the love and support of each and every one of you who came and said hello, took time to look at my work and give me so much great feed back. You must all take the credit for helping me to continue down this path of creative expression, I couldn't do it without the love and support of my family, friends, peers, mentors and patrons. And a very special thanks to The Pearl Gallery, owners Janet and Doug Edwards are truly remarkable people and gallerists, I recommend them to any artist as representation, and to any collector who wants a respectful, personal and thoughtful buying experience, they are genuine and caring people, and I am so grateful to them. cheers to you all!

Pre-View Party Tomorrow Night, July 29th.

If you live in Oklahoma, this is your one chance to see my new show, "Beguiled" before it heads up to Kansas City. the details are as follows, Tomorrow, Wednesday the 29th, from 5 - 8 PM @ The Pearl Gallery, 1201 East 3rd Street, Tulsa, OK. 74120. Please come out, I'll be there, all crazy and happy and bouncing about off the walls and bystanders. finished the last touches on the last piece last night, around 2:30AM. I was happy I got to read the novel I've been devouring the rest of the night (morning) without feeling guilty. I love loosing that "I should be working" feeling. So unfamiliar to be without of late. Here is a video I took last night no long before I completed the piece. Don't jump when my hand hits the camera!

Honestly it still hasn't sunk in at all that I am finished. I think my relief is tempered with the knowledge that I still have a statement to refine, and titles and note cards to write up before the Real Opening August 7th. Not to mention the several other pieces looming in the background for the next shows that must be worked on and completed soon. Upcoming? OVAC's 12x12, and an early piece for promotion of my next show. slated for March @ JRB Gallery.

I have two pieces that I still have not published online for "Beguiled" - unless you count the sneak peak video above - I'm going to wait until the opening, give those who attend something they haven't even seen a picture of before. Stay tune tho, this will be the first place I publish them. Okay... now back to my novel... ahhhh.

The WEBSITE

I've just updated my website! It's very simple, but it's something I can manage myself which is a huge help! Right now it's just a new gallery, but soon it will include my latest statement, resume and biography, as well as information on how to order commissions, etcetera. Please check it out!

J P M O R R I S O N . N E T

In Process...

Here are the first several stages of the piece I am currently working on, I'm going to break down a few stages for you, so you may better understand this craziness. After completing this piece I have only one more to crank out for my Show opening this August at the Base Gallery, in KCMO. The show is going to be called, Beguiled: The Folklore Of Women. And if I can get the work I still have to complete finished in time (note panting breathe) I will be.... well, really happy. stay tuned for more!

Stage One:

Here you can see my conté sketch, it's the soft red outline everything is built on, also I should mention I'm working on un-gessoed hard board, which is basically really nice light toothy masonite. I prefer an off white surface, not because it's logical but because off-white is just way more approachable in my opinion, and it's nice to work out from a mid-tone surface.

Stage Two:

Which I refer to as the hulk stage, in which I lay down all the darkest shadows in green, specifically Marine Green. I only use prismacolor pencils, no snobbery, it's just what I learned on and if it ain't broke don't fix it, so color names are specific to that brand. So, hulk stage, which you can see in the neck, nose and mouth. I'm working really lightly here, just laying out a map of tones to build upon later.

Stage Three:

The sun burn stage, where in I use Carmine Red, a pinkish red, to "put the blood in". I'll use this all over the whole figure, but I won't put green or red where my white highlights are going to go.

Stage Four:

Here I go back over all the image with white, it's sort of a pinkish, zombie burn victim stage. The arm is the only thing that has been lightened with the white in this photograph. It's important to get this white very even but not too heavy. Also, as I mentioned both layers before this are very light, because the tricky thing with colored pencils in not building up too much with them. If you're frugal you can get about eight to ten layers of color down, then the wax build up will prevent anymore perfecting, whether you like it or not. I'll use the white lightly in the darkest shadow areas, but I will still put the white where it later won't belong for both consistency and blending purposes. I always go lighter on this stage than is needed. I work up my lightest lights and then I'll work back down into my dark colors, with colored pencils, it's always easier to go darker after the fact, they're transparent, so you'll never get your whites back if you cover them up.

Stage Five:

After laying down white everywhere, I'll go back in with Carmine Red, and Marine Green the two colors I used before and define the shadows (green) and mid-tones, (red) more clearly.

Stage Six:

Laying in the darkest shadows with Indigo Blue, and Raspberry. The only places in the image above where Indigo and Raspberry are used are the inside of the mouth, nostrils, eyelashes and shadows behind the fingers. Everything else is just the polished Marine Green, Carmine Red, and White.

Stage Seven and then some:

A lot more has happened here, you wouldn't be able to see all the little tweaks I've added about... six more colored to the skin tone, not counting the colored I used in the eyes. I'll have to come back and update the color list, but basically, once I get all the tones just right, only then will I start adding other colors, usually just those three colors are too pink, so I use two different oranges, Pumpkin Orange, and _____, and two different mossy soft green blues, Jade Green, and ______, these two blues are good for nail beds and veins, I also recently started using the pinks, Nectar and Henna which are closer to an actual skin tone than any other pencil I use, they're good for blending and warming shadows. Eye color is always a mix of whatever feels right. I wish I could be more specific for you here, but at this stage things get really intuitive. You'd have to just sit next to me and watch and listen to me babble at you.

Stage Eight:

Now that the skin is finished I can start all the embellishments. The mask is also colored pencil, in white, a very light blue and a few cool grays the specific names of which I can't currently recall. I'll tweak things until the very end. I look forward to showing you the completed piece. And I'll update those missing color names tomorrow when I head back into studio. Also please disregard the smashed spider, these things happen, I live in the country, and I doubt it will be part of the finished piece, although currently I'm rather enjoying it.