New Painting at City Art Gallery

This new piece is on it's way to City Art Gallery in Greenville, NC. I love to paint the charter boats at the docks. The unique "Carolina flair" of boats built here in Eastern Carolina gives the boats neat shadow shapes that are fun to paint. But I especially love capturing the reflections in the water. On a still day like this one, they are almost mirror like. This painting has a square format which made it quite challenging to work on. I needed to create interest in the sky to fill the large space it occupies and yet it needed to be subordinate to the reflections in the water. I think I pulled it off nicely. What do you think?????

"War Paint"

This is the "companion piece" to the previously posted one. Wouldn't they make a great pair in your bath or vanity???? There is also another pair of slighly larger pieces featuring womens' tools of the trade at Art Source in Raleigh, NC. Why not check out all of them????

Shades of Red

This little gem of a still life is at Art Source Gallery at North Hills in Raleigh, NC. As a part of their holiday show they have a special section "under $300" wonderful pieces of art specially priced for holiday gift giving. This one has a companion piece titled "War Paint". They are priced at $175 each (framed in a gold leaf plein air frame). Wouldn't they be great in your powder room?? Hurry over to the gallery and pick out a gift of art for that someone special on your gift list!!!!!!

Plein Air painting

Summer has been a long and difficult time for me while I wait for the completion of my new home and studio at the beach. It was supposed to be finished June 1. I am hoping to finally get into the studio on Thursday or Friday. I have been doing some plein air painting at Rocket's Landing and at Brown's Island with my friend Jennifer Young. She is a very talented painter. If you are not familiar with her work you should check it out at http://www.jenniferyoung.com/. This painting is an 8x10 sketch of the James River and the Lee Bridge from Brown's Island. It was a very HOT day. I had never painted there before so I really enjoyed the views and the people playing in the river trying to cool off. Our second painting of the day was of kids jumping off of the tressles to the railroad bridge. What a fun day!!!!!

Just a quick reminder that my one woman show"Summer Magic" at Gallery 5800 in Richmond, VA will close on Wednesday. If you haven't been by the gallery to check it out yet please go by. Thanks to the gallery and to all of you who made this event such a success for me.

City Art Gallery and ECU Medical & HealthSciences benefit

Almost forgot what day it is......City Art Gallery and ECU Medical and Health Sciences Foundation are presenting a benefit for the East Carolina University Heart Institute today 4-8 pm at the ECU Health Sciences Campus, 115 Heart Drive, Greenville, NC. Please go by and support this worthy cause.

Coastal Getaways

Coastal Getaways show opened Saturday at Art Source North Hills in Raleigh, NC. The show runs through June 30. If you are out and about shopping at North Hills stop in and check out the wonderful new paintings from gallery artists.

Summer Magic

My solo show "Summer Magic" opened tonight at Gallery 5800 in Richmond, Virginia with an artist's reception. Thanks to everyone who came by the gallery to show their support!!!!!!The show will run through July 12 for sure and probably through til August 1st. If you did not get a chance to come by tonight, go by soon or check out the show online at www.suzannemorrisstudios.com

Back at work...painting hard doing what I love best. This one is a small sailboat restlessly awaiting a sailor to take it out. I love the colorful reflections the boats make on the water!!!!

James P. Kerr A Retrospective

Attended the opening reception of the show James P. Kerr A Retrospective, in Raleigh, NC, Friday night. James is a very dear friend and mentor. We bought this painting of the oldest cottage here at Nags Head. Check out the show at www.artsource-raleigh.com or go by the gallery at the North Hills shopping mall. The show represents 25 years of James's work and is AWESOME!!!!!

Back in the Studio

I am back on the Outer Banks in the studio working hard getting ready for my solo show at Gallery 5800 in Richmond, VA. I have had 3 other solo shows, but this one is a "coming home" of sorts....I was grew up in Richmond and have lots of friends and family there. I am VERY excited about the show. This painting is a special size for the show...24x36 with special pricing also. "The Starting Line" was originally intended to be the signature piece for the show, but I think it has already found a nice home. Don't worry, there will be others that are just as much fun. I love to paint racing boats with their brightly colored spinakers unfurled. It brings back memories of sailing on the Chesapeake Bay with my husband when we were newly weds. Foot loose, fancy free, wind in my hair, sun on my face what could be better??????

I just got back from delivering new work to City Art Gallery in Greenville, NC. While I was there, I attended the opening for the Kate Worm and Wayne Trapp show which runs through the end of the month. Kate did a figure demonstration...she is amazing!!!!! you should check out her work at http://www.cityartgallerygreenville.come/. You can see this little crab painting and more at the Salon show which opens June 11 or at the City Art at Coral Bay Beach Club in Atlantic Beach June 28 and 29.

I recently joined facebook to network with friends and other artists. I was honored this morning to find out that I have been selected to represent the East Coast for a new group of wonderful women artists called KAWA. E-mail me at sgmpaints@aol to find out what it stands for. Check out the site on facebook to be wowed by the work!!!!!!!

This is a plein air painting done on the sound on a misty morning in early April. Mike Horton and Chris Groves were here at my studio to teach a workshop. We had a blast and everyone learned so much!!!!! Watch the events page on my web site www.suzannemorrisstudios.com for listings of other visiting artist's workshops.

This is a small piece (12x16) that I will use as reference for a larger painting. I loved all of the colorful beach umbrellas. The challenge was to subdue the people walking along the water in the foreground so that the umbrellas would be the focus of the painting. I think it worked out well. How about you???? This painting will probably travel to City Art Gallery in Greenville, NC later in the week. The larger piece will be featured at a one woman show at Gallery 5800 in Richmond, Virginia in June. Please drop by one of the galleries to check out these paintings or e-mail me if you are interested.