Chris Morton

 

Christopher Morton was born in Owen Sound, Ontario.  He is a landscape artist who, from his earliest years possessed an intense interest in the natural world around him.   Chris uses a variety of mediums including Acrylic, Oil, Oil on Canvas, Oil on Masonite, and Oil on Panel to manifest his love of the Canadian landscape. 

At age fourteen, a young Chris Morton had the honour of meeting his artistic idol, the world renowned wildlife artist, George McLean.  Morton remembers the experience as being incredibly inspirational.  He would realize the importance of George's words as he continued with his help and on his own, to grow as a painter.  In 1985 Morton entered his first art competition The Chrysler Search for Canadian Wildlife Artists taking first prize.  Morton continued producing wildlife art as a student including receiving private hands on instruction from distinguished artist and instructor Dwayne Harty.

Following a move from Owen Sound to Peterborough, Chris' dream of being a full time painter finally became reality.  Within weeks, Chris was showing his work with some of the most accomplished artists in the world.  He was chosen by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters as their "Conservation Artist of the Year, 2003".   His work was also reproduced on calendars and limited edition prints.  Later that same year, The Canadian National Sport fishing Foundation commissioned Chris to produce an image entitled "Memory Lane" to promote fishing as a part of our Canadian heritage.

Chris has always been inspired by the beauty of Algonquin Park and has camped there every summer since he was ten years old.  He met another of his artistic role models while there, and in 2000 began receiving private hands on instruction from distinguished artist and instructor Dwayne Harty.  In 2003 he became the Resident Artist at the Algonquin Park Visitor Centre.  While he set a sales record of just under with his ‘sold out’ show, what he remembers most was the fact that he narrowly escaped an attack by two black bears that descended on his campsite in the middle of the night. Since that year he continued to show off and on at Algonquin and became a regular feature artist at the Buckhorn Fine Art Festival while continuing to work as a professional artist.

Chris now resides in Owen Sound and was recently a featured artist in Thomson Art Gallery’s presentation - Tom and Rob’s Excellent Adventure II – along with guest commentary from George MacLean.  McLean praised Morton’s work past and present in many emotional conversations with critics and family members.  “Where I failed was to see just how talented Chris was when he was young”, recalled McLean.  “I saw him doing great [works] but I didn’t realize the vision he had.”  During the show, Morton sold his most recent project entitled “Freezing Creek” which received very high acclaim by artists and critics at the show including McLean. 

This was followed by 2 awards at the 2016 Paint Ontario Juried Art Show for best Waterscape and the prestigious Calendar Cover choice.  The International Gallery of the Arts also recognized his work in 2016 honouring him with a position in the Gallery’s Two Person Spotlight which included a 10 page spread in their National Art Magazine.

Morton is currently working on two new private commissions that have been offered while continuing work on his new series of paintings; 4 local waterfalls starting with the famous Inglis Falls and Indian River Falls in Owen Sound already complete.  Morton’s art is now mostly in private collections world-wide, but a variety of the pieces and a number of new works are being assembled for his upcoming Ontario Gallery tour.  His latest piece, Huron Hue won him the best Waterscape at the 2017 Paint Ontario Juried Art Show as the only artist to have 3 pieces accepted to the jury stage.

The next stop on the tour was at the Niagara Pump-house Gallery in Niagara on the Lake.  Following closely was the Leamington Art Center near Windsor ON, the Kawartha Gallery in Lindsay, ON, Cedar Ridge Gallery and Fleck Gallery in Toronto, ON.

Morton was awarded the Best Emerging Artist award at the Owen Sound Cultrual Awards Ceremony at the Tom Thomson Art Gallery in Owen Sound, ON,  for 2018.

Chris Morton

eXHIBITION rECORD
	March 2019                                                                                                   Fleck Gallery ·         Curated personally by Elaine Fleck                                                     Toronto ON August 2000 - 2018                                                                                      Buckhorn Fine Arts Festival                                                                                         n  Feature artist at the Buckhorn Fine Arts Festival                                               Buckhorn, ON October – November 2018                                                                          Cedar Ridge Gallery                                                                                                                                                                                              n  Week long exhibition                                                                                            Toronto, ON August – September 2018                                                                          Kawartha Art Gallery                                                                                                 n  Six-week exhibition booked                                                                                 Lindsay, ON October 2017 - 2018                                                                         Grey Bruce Health Services                                                                                            n  Featured artist at the Momentos art project                                                      Owen Sound, ON n  Celebration of Canada’s 150thanniversary                 July 2017                                                                                                Leamington Arts Centre                                                                                                n  Month long exhibition                                                                                    Leamington, ON   May 2017                                                                                  Niagara Pumphouse Arts Centre                                                                                          n  Month long exhibition                                                                       Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON September 2016                                                                                          Uxbridge Art Gallery                                                                                         n  Inglis’ Magic and Sunlit Point displayed                                                                     Uxbridge, ON   July 2016                                                                                                   Glenhyrst Art Gallery                                                                            n  Inglis’ Magic selected as feature piece at the Glenhyrst Gallery                             Brantford, ON   March-June 2016                                                                               Tom Thomson Art Gallery                                                                                                       n  Feature artist at the Tom Thomson Gallery                                                   Owen Sound, ON n  Presented lecture entitled “Along My Way…” n  Conducted on site painting symposium for Galley patrons   September 2015                                               Tom Thomson Gallery Art & Architecture Tour                                                                                   n  Feature artist in Thomson Art Gallery’s presentation –                                       Oliphant, ON Tom and Rob’s Excellent Adventure II – with commentary by George McLean.   2000 - 2015                                                                                                   Gallery on the Lake n  Work Featured at The Gallery on the Lake                                                        Buckhorn, ON   2007                                                                                  Ministry of Natural Resources   n  Commissioned by the Ministry of Natural Resources                                    Province of Ontario   2000 - 2004                                                              Canadian National Sportfishing Foundation                                                                                                        n  Staff artist for the Canadian National Sportfishing Foundation.                     Peterborough, ON   2003                                                        Canadian National Sportfishing Foundation                                                                                      n  Commissioned by the Canadian National Sportfishing Foundation               Peterborough, ON   2002                                                                        Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters n  Painting “Family Pride” became the primary fundraiser                                 Peterborough, ON for the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters. 22,000 Limited Edition prints were produced.
aWARDS
2018   2017     2016   2016                                     2004    Owen Sound Cultural Awards winner in Emerging Artist category       Paint Ontario, Art Competition, Exhibition & Sale held at the Lambton Heritage Museum – Huron’s Hue selected as Waterscape Choice.       Won the International Gallery of the Arts -Two Person Spotlight Contest       Paint Ontario, Art Competition, Exhibition & Sale held at the Lambton Heritage Museum - Remember When selected as Waterscape Choice and Calendar Cover Choice.   Chosen by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters as their 2003 “Conservation Artist of the Year”.   2003 Chosen by the Conservation Lottery as the “Artist of the Year” by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters.   1985 - 1990 Chrysler Search for Canadian Wildlife Artists – 5 awards (two 1st place, two 2nd place and 1 3rd place)

Artist Statement

I've always been fascinated by the NATURAL WORLD and since my earliest years, I would venture out into the forest to study its ways.  The changing of the seasons, the diversity of plant life, the ever changing light effects and the abundance of nature would become my obsession.  Painting and drawing was the best way I knew how to communicate what I was learning to the world.

          At the age of thirteen I had the privilege and honor of meeting my artist idol, renowned and master painter, George McLean.  The experience was life-changing and would solidify my decision to paint full-time.   I would take George's advice to heart and immediately set out to become the best painter I could be.  Over the years, painting from life (plein-air), daily field-work and studying the works of the world's master painters would consume me.

          To truly learn the art of painting and not drawing with your paintbrush is a lifelong pursuit.  I look forward to the challenges and pushing myself to better my last painting.  I fully intend to expand content and my geographical range, but along my way, I will continue to paint the Canadian landscape, where I have been and what I know best. 

-  Chris Morton