Ancient British Bard, Storyteller,Musician,Songwriter,Poet,healer

TONY MORRIS
Biography of An Artist

Tony MORRIS'S philosophy is that as water is a natural material it should dictate what happens with the paint and paper. One must work with it and not impose on it or try to force it.

Tony began painting at school with oils but found the cleaning of brushes too much of a chore and tried one or two tentative experiments with watercolours after leaving university.

It was mention of this in 1987 to Sue that led to her putting paint and paper in front of him to kick-start him into doing more than talking. Typically he began by "playing" with the materials and developed into landscape while shunning accuracy and realism (that’s what cameras are for).

As the result of a conversation with a potter of his acquaintance he started using ink over the watercolour, beginning with floral based abstract themes which developed to more architectural subjects.

Thistechnique of overdrawing with ink following the natural watermarkswas used over an expanding range of subjects.

In 1992 the Cast of the York Cycle of Mystery Plays, being performed in the Theatre Royal, York for the first time, commission Tony MORRIS to produce paintings for the various directors involved as Cast gifts, also purchasing surplus paintings for themselves. The inspiration for these paintings was Martin Johns spectacular set. The ink over watercolour gave the paintings a stained glass appearance.

In 1993 Tony MORRIS had a solo exhibition at the York Arts Centre, "Dream Landscape Flowers". Since then he has been a regular exhibitor at the annual Ryedale Exhibition.

In 1995 he was offered a solo exhibition in Madeira of his work on the Island but was unable to pursue it for logistical reasons.

Following a successful solo exhibition in November 2002 at the Norman Rhea Gallery, University of York, in which he exhibited his allegorical ' 9/11 ' watercolour, Tony has been so busy with his other artistic work that he has had to decline the many offers of exhibitions he has received.

He is hoping to exhibit again in the future and share his techniques by organising workshops which will combine his Painting, Poetry and Music.