Sunday, August 29, 2010

Morris Graves at The Lake

Happy 100th Birthday Morris Graves
August 28th 2010

Morris Graves in His Leek Garden 
by Imogen Cunningham, Silver gelatin print, 1973

I owe Morris Graves a deep debt of gratitude. Before Graves died in 2001 he set up a foundation to provide artists with a residency in his studio at the home he called "The Lake". Secluded in a forested area of Northern California, Graves home during the last 30 years of his life almost floats on the edge of a small private lake. In 2004 I was awarded a residency and spent a month living and working in Graves own studio.  These are two of the paintings that I made at The Lake.

Each day at the lake  I went for a walk to a labyrinth built by another resident artist. In the center of the labyrinth was a prayer pole. That, and a painting by Graves that was in his studio, inspired the painting Prayer Pole. The painting, Ikon was inspired by Graves sculptures, Instruments for a New Navigation.

Morris Graves Studio, Seattle Times Magazine

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