The Life and Art of Andrew Morrison
by Ramon Shiloh
To triumph, an artist must find a balance among life’s creative entanglements: money for art supplies, a place to create and a desire to produce. These minor obstacles can ultimately hinder an artist’s ability to fulfill his or her destiny.
Yet, at the tender age of 27, Andrew Morrison (Apache/Haida) has risen above these timeless challenges to become a highly recognizable figure in the Native American arts community. His profound murals, which have been featured at universities, powwows and festivals from Alaska to the Southwest, have also acquired an abundance of awards and commissions.
During the 13 years of his professional life, Morrison has captured the hearts of his peers and elders, who have in turn championed his work. “The reason I have lasted this long creatively is community support – the art community, and more in the Native community. The community says my murals touch their life and makes them feel at ease and calm. Some people look at my artwork and say when they wake up in the morning it makes their day a little brighter.”
Art Intimidating Life
Morrison’s mother, who is Apache from the San Carlos Reservation in Arizona, and his father, who is Haida from Hydaburg, Alaska, made sure their children were exposed to the world of Indian life. Alternating between the two families each summer, Morrison and his brother grew to have a deep appreciation for their rich heritage.
As a child, Morrison also discovered his love for painting, which allowed him to create dream worlds that concerned him. His brother-in-law played a large role in influencing him artistically. “He was like a big brother and a phenomenal fine artist,” Morrison recalls. “This man had skills. He was attempting to network and push his art in the greater area of Seattle and the Pacific Northwest.”
“I didn’t know what I was going to do after high school. For the most part, I never liked high school. I never fit in and I was a C student just getting by. I couldn’t wait to get out of there.”
His passion for drawing caught the attention of his art teacher, Carolyn Wheeler, who gave him the confidence to find a way to make a living from his creations. “[She] was always encouraging me, saying, ‘Andrew, you have a lot of talent. You should apply to art school and just do it.’ She helped me with the application process. We applied everywhere,” Morrison says.
When he was accepted into one of the best art schools in the country, the Rhode Island School of Design, his mentor wept. “She told me it was amazing and to go out there and succeed,” recalls Morris, who says the full-ride scholarship, totaling $130,000, felt like “winning the blue ribbon because I was their prized student and they believed in me.”
When Morrison left Seattle to live in a completely different environment thousands of miles away from home, he notes that he didn’t know what he was getting himself into. “I was just a kid at 18. All I knew was that I got this scholarship and I loved expressing my art, so I went out there to put my best foot forward.”
Being part of this prestigious group was the most exciting thing Morrison had ever experienced. Most of the rigorous training he went through was dedicated to figure drawing, color theory, color design, the fundamentals of sculpting, three dimensional classes and a great number of art history lessons.
Excelling academically for the first time in his life, Morrison felt as if he had a new beginning to prove his worth without intimidation. Yet, during his first year, Morrison’s life would take a major detour.
“I lived with this extremely rich kid from Manhattan in my dorm room and he was a real jerk, as real as you can get,” Morrison reminisces. “He would always make fun of my scholarship and I would tell him how proud I was to be out here. He didn’t care and would boast about how he got in because his parents had money.” For a while, I just took his remarks and ran with it. But, one day he took it too far and it ended in an old school fist fight.”
That fight landed his roommate in the hospital and Morrison in the dean’s office facing school officials, who told him, “You disgraced us. We put this faith in you and we gave you all this money for art supplies, food and housing. If you don’t have your belongings packed by 10 a.m., we will arrest you and charge you with assault. And, if you ever step foot on the premises, we will throw a case at you for assault and lock you up in a Rhode Island jail.”
With nothing but a few dollars in his pocket and his art supplies, Morrison made the 3,000-mile drive home to Seattle feeling frustrated, ashamed and worried. While he didn’t know what his future held, he did know that this experience was going to change his life forever.
Passing on Lessons Learned
When Morrison returned to Seattle, he reapplied to six different schools. Fortunately, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, not only accepted his bid, but granted him another full tuition scholarship.
Located just 45 minutes north of the Rhode Island School of Design, Morrison found himself driving to Providence every couple of month to hang out. “I would just chill out thinking about that unpleasant time. I would think about where I would be if I didn’t get into that altercation and know that I would have graduated earlier.”
Still, Morrison has drawn great strength from his experiences, which is evident in his murals. “I have a lot of pride to hold on to because I have had a lot of things taken away from me. I appreciate this talent much more. There are artists today I bump into and I don’t see their commitment and drive in the arts like myself,” Morrison says. “We’re living in a very short timeframe and it is my will to live as a Native man and to be inspired, as well. To see Obama in this lifetime is a great inspiring moment to create and become something of your self. Sky’s the limit!”
Today, Morrison is a humble man who operates as a beacon of hope for budding artists who are in need of direction. To elevate his own career, Morrison will soon begin applying as a grad student. He hopes to attend either Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles or the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia. Morrison hopes this move will help his prospects to showcase his work around the world.
“I think of it as a springboard to other things for the rest of my life,” Morrison says. “Cities like Tokyo, London, Chicago and New York, these places are key hot spots to be seen and heard. I feel I’ve done as much as I can at home. There are more challenges ahead.”
“For me, to be a full-blooded American Indian, anywhere in America is home. Cities don’t matter,” Morrison continues. “As a Native American, I feel that’s one thing people don’t understand. Geographical or regional locations don’t mean anything to me. Wherever I rest my dome is home. I feel our ancestors have bled for centuries for this land and me being a Native American artist, my artwork is going to touch the hearts of this great nation. It’s honest art. Who’s going to challenge honest art?”
Morrison claims he has learned enough lessons to keep him out of negative situations and to make him appreciate his talent. He wants to pass this knowledge onto other young minds who want to be heard. As a result, Morrison will attain his Terminal Masters Degree so that he can teach art as a college professor.
“In my four years in school, there wasn’t a professional practice class, like how to file an invoice or how you should get a business license and how do you prepare your taxes? How do you approach gallery owners? How should you speak to curators? How do you deal with rejection and how do you deal with career blocks?”
“Children today aren’t getting these valuable tools,” he continues. “What they’re getting are instructors painting a pretty picture, telling them to go out in the real world, the working world, where you’re in a recession. I’m going to change that.”
“People have told me that I am a good example for the kids because no matter what I go through in this life, I can’t quit. I won’t give up on my community. People believe in me. Even at times when I doubted myself and I ran over some roadblocks, people would encourage me to keep my faith and push forward. There have been people who have said, ‘Keep going Andrew. You’re one of the Indians to come out of the community that we can point to and say you did it.’”
More information on Andrew Morrison’s upcoming show dates, unveilings and current news regarding his whereabouts can be found at http://www.onestaa.com/.
© 12/29/2008
by Ramon Shiloh
To triumph, an artist must find a balance among life’s creative entanglements: money for art supplies, a place to create and a desire to produce. These minor obstacles can ultimately hinder an artist’s ability to fulfill his or her destiny.
Yet, at the tender age of 27, Andrew Morrison (Apache/Haida) has risen above these timeless challenges to become a highly recognizable figure in the Native American arts community. His profound murals, which have been featured at universities, powwows and festivals from Alaska to the Southwest, have also acquired an abundance of awards and commissions.
During the 13 years of his professional life, Morrison has captured the hearts of his peers and elders, who have in turn championed his work. “The reason I have lasted this long creatively is community support – the art community, and more in the Native community. The community says my murals touch their life and makes them feel at ease and calm. Some people look at my artwork and say when they wake up in the morning it makes their day a little brighter.”
Art Intimidating Life
Morrison’s mother, who is Apache from the San Carlos Reservation in Arizona, and his father, who is Haida from Hydaburg, Alaska, made sure their children were exposed to the world of Indian life. Alternating between the two families each summer, Morrison and his brother grew to have a deep appreciation for their rich heritage.
As a child, Morrison also discovered his love for painting, which allowed him to create dream worlds that concerned him. His brother-in-law played a large role in influencing him artistically. “He was like a big brother and a phenomenal fine artist,” Morrison recalls. “This man had skills. He was attempting to network and push his art in the greater area of Seattle and the Pacific Northwest.”
“I didn’t know what I was going to do after high school. For the most part, I never liked high school. I never fit in and I was a C student just getting by. I couldn’t wait to get out of there.”
His passion for drawing caught the attention of his art teacher, Carolyn Wheeler, who gave him the confidence to find a way to make a living from his creations. “[She] was always encouraging me, saying, ‘Andrew, you have a lot of talent. You should apply to art school and just do it.’ She helped me with the application process. We applied everywhere,” Morrison says.
When he was accepted into one of the best art schools in the country, the Rhode Island School of Design, his mentor wept. “She told me it was amazing and to go out there and succeed,” recalls Morris, who says the full-ride scholarship, totaling $130,000, felt like “winning the blue ribbon because I was their prized student and they believed in me.”
When Morrison left Seattle to live in a completely different environment thousands of miles away from home, he notes that he didn’t know what he was getting himself into. “I was just a kid at 18. All I knew was that I got this scholarship and I loved expressing my art, so I went out there to put my best foot forward.”
Being part of this prestigious group was the most exciting thing Morrison had ever experienced. Most of the rigorous training he went through was dedicated to figure drawing, color theory, color design, the fundamentals of sculpting, three dimensional classes and a great number of art history lessons.
Excelling academically for the first time in his life, Morrison felt as if he had a new beginning to prove his worth without intimidation. Yet, during his first year, Morrison’s life would take a major detour.
“I lived with this extremely rich kid from Manhattan in my dorm room and he was a real jerk, as real as you can get,” Morrison reminisces. “He would always make fun of my scholarship and I would tell him how proud I was to be out here. He didn’t care and would boast about how he got in because his parents had money.” For a while, I just took his remarks and ran with it. But, one day he took it too far and it ended in an old school fist fight.”
That fight landed his roommate in the hospital and Morrison in the dean’s office facing school officials, who told him, “You disgraced us. We put this faith in you and we gave you all this money for art supplies, food and housing. If you don’t have your belongings packed by 10 a.m., we will arrest you and charge you with assault. And, if you ever step foot on the premises, we will throw a case at you for assault and lock you up in a Rhode Island jail.”
With nothing but a few dollars in his pocket and his art supplies, Morrison made the 3,000-mile drive home to Seattle feeling frustrated, ashamed and worried. While he didn’t know what his future held, he did know that this experience was going to change his life forever.
Passing on Lessons Learned
When Morrison returned to Seattle, he reapplied to six different schools. Fortunately, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, not only accepted his bid, but granted him another full tuition scholarship.
Located just 45 minutes north of the Rhode Island School of Design, Morrison found himself driving to Providence every couple of month to hang out. “I would just chill out thinking about that unpleasant time. I would think about where I would be if I didn’t get into that altercation and know that I would have graduated earlier.”
Still, Morrison has drawn great strength from his experiences, which is evident in his murals. “I have a lot of pride to hold on to because I have had a lot of things taken away from me. I appreciate this talent much more. There are artists today I bump into and I don’t see their commitment and drive in the arts like myself,” Morrison says. “We’re living in a very short timeframe and it is my will to live as a Native man and to be inspired, as well. To see Obama in this lifetime is a great inspiring moment to create and become something of your self. Sky’s the limit!”
Today, Morrison is a humble man who operates as a beacon of hope for budding artists who are in need of direction. To elevate his own career, Morrison will soon begin applying as a grad student. He hopes to attend either Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles or the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia. Morrison hopes this move will help his prospects to showcase his work around the world.
“I think of it as a springboard to other things for the rest of my life,” Morrison says. “Cities like Tokyo, London, Chicago and New York, these places are key hot spots to be seen and heard. I feel I’ve done as much as I can at home. There are more challenges ahead.”
“For me, to be a full-blooded American Indian, anywhere in America is home. Cities don’t matter,” Morrison continues. “As a Native American, I feel that’s one thing people don’t understand. Geographical or regional locations don’t mean anything to me. Wherever I rest my dome is home. I feel our ancestors have bled for centuries for this land and me being a Native American artist, my artwork is going to touch the hearts of this great nation. It’s honest art. Who’s going to challenge honest art?”
Morrison claims he has learned enough lessons to keep him out of negative situations and to make him appreciate his talent. He wants to pass this knowledge onto other young minds who want to be heard. As a result, Morrison will attain his Terminal Masters Degree so that he can teach art as a college professor.
“In my four years in school, there wasn’t a professional practice class, like how to file an invoice or how you should get a business license and how do you prepare your taxes? How do you approach gallery owners? How should you speak to curators? How do you deal with rejection and how do you deal with career blocks?”
“Children today aren’t getting these valuable tools,” he continues. “What they’re getting are instructors painting a pretty picture, telling them to go out in the real world, the working world, where you’re in a recession. I’m going to change that.”
“People have told me that I am a good example for the kids because no matter what I go through in this life, I can’t quit. I won’t give up on my community. People believe in me. Even at times when I doubted myself and I ran over some roadblocks, people would encourage me to keep my faith and push forward. There have been people who have said, ‘Keep going Andrew. You’re one of the Indians to come out of the community that we can point to and say you did it.’”
More information on Andrew Morrison’s upcoming show dates, unveilings and current news regarding his whereabouts can be found at http://www.onestaa.com/.
© 12/29/2008
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