The Provincetown Art Association and Museum announced the recipients of their inaugural Lillian Orlowsky and William Freed Foundation Grant designed to support American painters aged 45 or older who demonstrate financial need. This year’s painters receiving this awesome prize are Morgan Russell and Jo Hay. Congratulations! We like artists being recognized monetarily for their work. So without further ado, let’s take a peek into Morgan Russell’s studio(s) and see what he’s up to and what he has to say about his work.
I love nature. I’ve always been intrigued with the woods and natural settings in general. That’s where it begins for me; when I walk out of the house in the morning I have my camera, the early light really hits me.
In the Summer I paint in our family barn, the space and light are uplifting and I have the luxury of being able to get 20 or 30 feet back from a painting to get my bearings. I just moved into my Winter studio, as I call it, in Rockland, MA which I share with friend and fellow artist Mehmet Kraja.
Back in the studio there is a point at which observation stops and something else takes over. Once that threshold of abstraction is crossed a re-shaping of elements can begin. I am intrigued with pulling new situations of place from the painting process. In doing so I find myself cultivating a space that is fluid and plastic enough to navigate.
These paintings then are naturally aspirated abstract systems. Indeed there is a certain abstract power inherent in nature upon which their survival depends.
Learn more about Morgan Russell’s work.
Mary Spencer says
Congrats, Your work is really gorgeous…. The interruption of ‘natural forms’ with other abstractions flows naturally and from what I see you start off with a purely abstract brush painting…. and then proceed from there? Your studio on the farm …. the dark brown walls are also beguiling compared to most stark white studio walls. ciao mary
louise dunn says
Obviously I used my mother’s web site. Congratulations Morgan. I liked seeing the Farm, which I gather is the stable.Frankly cannot remember if these paintings relate to the ones I saw in New York City at that benefit, downtown. Chelsea? anyway congratulations on the grant! Louise