Whether it’s a collage, a large-scale painting, or a spontaneous creation from a few scraps of paper, Vicki Morrison is passionate about her artistic creations. The Miami native channels that enthusiasm into both her abstract impressionist canvases and her latest venture, opening a new art gallery in Vero Beach.
The Vicki Morrison Contemporary Fine Art Gallery will host its grand opening on Nov. 6, coinciding with November’s First Friday Gallery Stroll. The prime downtown location, 1410 19th Place, is next door to the Vero Beach Chamber of Commerce and promises to be a showcase for a wide variety of art.
“A chef doesn’t just make dessert. A chef makes appetizers and the main course too,” says Morrison, presenting a culinary metaphor.
“It’s going to be a beautiful space.”
But before her own gallery opens, Morrison is one of two artists who will be featured in a show at Gallery 14 during the month of October. The other artist is John H.C. Davis, a self-described “printmaker extraordinaire” who creates prints using linoleum cuts on handmade paper.
Morrison’s exhibit, “Degrees of Saturation,” explores how the ocean and other bodies of water shape our world. Through images inspired by humidity and dew points, the show takes viewers on an elemental journey through water’s subtle beauty.
On the heels of that autumn show, Morrison is very excited to officially open her own art gallery to the public. She comments that the sheer number of artists in Vero Beach is remarkable, but feels energized by their numbers rather than discouraged.
“More art galleries strengthen everyone in the community. We’re not in competition. If my work doesn’t speak to you, then someone else’s will. Everyone will find what resonates with them. Art is personal,” says Morrison.
Employing acrylic paints, crayons, mark making tools and mixed media, Morrison brings something different to each of her projects, which she has created in abundance.
For instance, in “Soft Voice,” Morrison’s imagined vision is like a delicate whisper rising from the blossoms in a bouquet of flowers. And in “Sweet Dreams,” replete with soft pink brushstrokes and sweeping blooms, the romantic garden roses evoke a vintage feminine style.
“I pictured this painting in a little girl’s bedroom. But I was surprised when a woman purchased it to hang in her dining room,” Morrison exclaims.
Though she holds a BFA in Drawing and Painting from California State University, Long Beach, Morrison chose a different path for her career.
“I wondered how I was going to make a living if I wasn’t an art teacher,” she explains.
That realistic concern led to a career in nursing, eventually becoming a critical care nurse at an outpatient spine unit in Newport Beach, Calif.
However, Morrison never abandoned her artistic roots and always maintained an eye for the subtleties of color, even in the most unexpected of places.
“I was in the recovery room during a shift and I noticed the different shades of white towels. Artists see things a little bit differently,” she explains.
“I just want to be an artist now. I’ve been blown away by everyone’s talent. Artists in this community have had a big influence on me.”
Art is now an integral part of Morrison’s personal life, including creating art projects with her 7-year-old granddaughter, Kaylinn Jo.
“She draws, she paints,” Morrison says with pride. “I recently shared a canvas of butterflies with her and she decorated it with jewels.”
Patrons will delight in finding some of young Kaylinn Jo’s works in the gallery, alongside her grandmother’s lifetime of artistic achievement.
Wildlife has always been one of Morrison’s favorite subjects to paint and observe. She comments that while California is a stunning state, it doesn’t necessarily possess the same diversity of wildlife that Florida does.
“There are so many birds in our backyard in Vero Beach. I always call my husband and say, ‘The ibis are here for dinner!’”
Cardinals also frequent Morrison’s property, and their visits have a special meaning for her.
“My mother passed away from dementia and I feel like it’s a visit from her whenever I see a cardinal.”
“Cardinals Message” and “Cardinals Visit” retain Morrison’s signature abstract impressionist style, while providing a rare splash of crimson to her canvases.
Although Morrison is deeply inspired by the thriving flora and fauna of her new home, she does carry many California memories with her. Morrison’s paintbrush reaches beyond the lush florals and serene coastal scenes of Florida to the more dramatic beaches and desert landscapes of the West.
With “Walking the Coast,” Morrison delves into the steeper, rockier beaches of the Pacific, rather than the smooth Atlantic shore, and in “Golden Hour” she shines a light on the Santa Fe Canyon Preserve in New Mexico.
When asked the inevitable question of any transplanted Californian, “do you miss the weather?” Morrison is direct.
“I do! But the weather doesn’t affect my mood. I also love afternoon thunderstorms. They’re comforting,” says Morrison.
Photos by Joshua Kodis
