Owen Sound artist Christopher Morton captures the magic of the natural world
Using a variety of media including acrylic, oil on canvas, Masonite and panel, award-winning artist Christopher Morton manifests his love of the Canadian landscape, creating detailed, atmospheric works inspired by rural and wilderness locations around Ontario.
“I’ve always been fascinated by the natural world and since my earliest years, I would venture out into the forest to study its ways,” he says. “The changing of the seasons, the diversity of plant life, the ever-changing light effects and the abundance of nature would become my obsession. Painting and drawing was the best way I knew how to communicate what I was learning about the world. Over the years, painting from life (plein-air), daily field-work and studying the works of the world’s master painters would consume me.”
At age fourteen, Chris met his artistic idol, the world-renowned wildlife artist George McLean, who became a mentor. Morton continued producing wildlife art as a student, which included private hands-on instruction from distinguished artist and instructor Dwayne Harty.
Morton was the Resident Artist at the Algonquin Park Visitor Centre in 2003 and continues to show his work at Algonquin. He is also a regular feature artist at the Buckhorn Fine Art Festival. His work has been shown at the Tom Tomson Art Gallery in Owen Sound, the Niagara Pump-house Gallery in Niagara-on-the-Lake and the Leamington Arts Centre near Windsor. Following his recent exhibition at Gallery de Boer Fine Art in Owen Sound, selected works of Morton’s will continue to be available through Gallery de Boer. ❧
