Presentation of Seaport Watercolor Paintings AAPA/PRSA

Presentation of Seaport Watercolor Paintings
AAPA/PRSA-Detroit Public Relations Seminar
Detroit, MI
Robert C. Morris
Director of External Affairs
Georgia Ports Authority
June 24, 2009
American Association of Port Authorities
703.684.5700 • www.aapa-ports.org
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Coming Full Circle
Savannah Daily News | Sunday, June 22, 2008
By Allison Hersh
Robert C. Morris may be best known as the director of
external affairs for the Georgia Ports Authority in Savannah.
However, this articulate port spokesman and public relations
expert also has a passion for painting detailed watercolors
celebrating nature and everyday life along the coast.
As a young boy growing up in Washington, D.C., art made a
particularly deep impression on Morris, who says that "art was
the only thing that took my breath away as a child." He
attended Tulane University in New Orleans, where he studied
studio art but ultimately earned a B.A. in English.
American Association of Port Authorities
703.684.5700 • www.aapa-ports.org
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"Twenty," an exhibit of 20 recent watercolors on display at
The Book Lady in downtown Savannah, marks this 47-yearold artist's return to painting after a two-decade hiatus. In
1985, Morris abruptly put down his paint brush after his
beloved mentor at Tulane University, Hal Carney, died of a
massive heart attack shortly before Morris debuted his first
solo art show.
While mourning Carney's loss with fellow artists at a New
Orleans pub and a local cemetery, Morris' car was broken
into and all the paintings he planned to exhibit were stolen,
along with a portfolio of his best art from college and high
school.
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"It was devastating and life-altering," he explained. "There
was no record that I had ever existed on this planet as an
artist."
He took the double-blow of Carney's death and the theft of
his own art as a divine sign that he needed to choose
another path in life. A talented writer, Morris eventually
became a staff reporter at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
an editor at Atlanta magazine, a features editor at Creative
Loafing in Atlanta and a speech writer for former Georgia
Gov. Roy Barnes.
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"I quit painting literally for 20 years," he said. "But about
two and a half years ago, I began to have dreams about
these stolen images. Almost every night, another one of
these paintings would reappear."
Morris decided that he needed to start painting again and
quickly began executing sketches and small paintings of
local scenes. Inspired by artists like Claude Monet, Vincent
Van Gogh and Wassily Kandinsky, he eventually created a
body of watercolor paintings that reflect his love of
Savannah, nature and the port.
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From the pastel splendor of "North Beach" to the amber
landscapes in "Autumn Dawn," Morris delights in capturing
the colors, form and lines of the world around him. He
paints tug boats and container ships floating gracefully
down the Savannah River, using a palette that is alternately
bold and restrained. Utilizing dozens of layers of color
wash, he creates vivid compositions like "Bloody Marsh,"
which re-imagines tidal salt marshes as fiery ribbons of
color.
"When you're working with watercolors, it's as if you're the
master of the universe," he said. "You're orchestrating it,
but it's not really in your control. It's always a mystery as to
what the outcome will be."
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Working from his Gwinnett Street studio, Morris enjoys
rediscovering the medium that originally inspired his
creativity as a boy and as a young man. Although the
quality of the work on display in "twenty" tends to be a bit
uneven, the exhibit marks this long-dormant artist's joyful,
full-circle return.
"I can bring much more maturity and commitment to it at
this stage of my life," he said of his art. "I'm excited about
what will happen next."
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The following watercolor images were painted by Robert
Morris in celebration of, and as a way to communicate the
value of, our vital seaports.
We hope you enjoy the show.
For questions or more info about his paintings, contact:
Robert C. Morris
Tel: (912) 964-3855
[email protected]
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“Blue Night”
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“In Challenging Times”
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“Passage to Brunswick”
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“Passing Cockspur”
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“The Refuge & The Cranes”
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“Tybee Sunset”
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“When The Lights Come On”
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“Bloody Marsh”
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