Wild Blackberries (‘en plein air) ©Morri

acrylic / wrapped canvas (click on image to enlarge)

~

within

the tiniest of things

lies

beautiful 

wisdom.

~morri

~

Wild Blackberries (‘en plein air) was painted near this time of year, in a spring past. I was working on large commissioned Tuscany pieces, and I was feeling somewhat weary. So I decided to step away from it for a spell. I looked down from the studio window and saw the wild blackberries growing high over the fence at the edge of our yard.

As if bewitched

I then found myself deep within blackberries painting the tiniest of petals and thorns, completely lost in the music of bees and the perfumed air of spring.

T’was  just what I needed,

to paint freely..

from my heart.

I forgot all time and place until the little canvas was filled.

When I returned to the studio I was not only ready to work…I found myself in love with the Tuscany pieces.

Thank you, dear divine blackberries.

Once again..I could see things clearly and anew.

It is much the same,

in life.

Sometimes we need to step aside from time and place

letting it unfold.

Trusting…

that

all is as it should be.

Like winter leaving,

spring returning

and

once again..

wild blackberries,

anew.

“Wild Blackberries..again”  (photo 2/15/2012) ©Morri

 ~

I have peace, of heart..

and

I’m wishing you the same.

within light..

morriArt.com

~

The Journey ©Morri (sold)

24″ x 32″ acrylic on canvas

(Prints are available)

click on image to enlarge

~

The  journey

begins,

only to

circle

back…

from

within. 

~morri

~

This tactile painting The Journey left me some time ago, before I worked under my name morri. I’ve written about the painting several times in the past, so I will not do so here again. If you wish to read one of the posts here’s a link to my previous blog —> gypsy-heart, I am.

The energy of this piece continues…lot’s of prints out there, and I also allowed the image to be used, from churches to festivals..music to poetry..throughout the US to Canada.

Recently, it was on t-shirts worn at a Hispanic leadership institute for a school district in Colorado. As promised, the organizer sent me a t-shirt:

I love it ..certainly a keepsake!

Alas, this time I am writing of another journey–

the one of my name..

Not the changes, in real life, due to three marriages. (hey I am not a quitter. 3rd time was a charm..married almost 22 years.)

So not my legal names, but how I’ve signed my work, as an artist..

- susan sims (too common)

- susan morrison sims (too damn long)

- smSims (too generic)

I did not connect to any of the names..especially the name Susan. (I apologize to my mother)

I hesitate to tell you this..but this is to be my year of freedom as a person and as an artist. (I no longer have reason to hold back..another closed chapter, in my book).

Freedom allows me to tell you…

I had been thinking about how to sign my work. A name came to me within a dream. Often a **voice speaks to me within dreams or within waking silence. Yes, it’s true. Anyway, he whispered the name, morri. I had never heard that name before..

and yet, it felt so very very familiar.

I researched a bit and mulled it over, until finally embracing it whole heartedly.

Now, fast forward a spell..

My dear father came for a visit. I told him about the name morri (though, I left out how it came to me..hee hee). He seemed surprised when I said the name. He then told me how long long ago, morri was his nickname (only used by one good friend).

me: you’ve never mentioned that.

my father: it just never came up.

This was so typical of my father..a non-pretentious, conservative man..not prone to talk a lot about personal things or events.

Much to my surprise though, he was very pleased with my decision! I had no idea my seemingly healthy father would leave our world within a few years. Needless to say, the name means more to me now than ever!! Once again, I was thankful to a voice for guiding me..this time, to a name I share with my beloved father! Morri is now officially trademarked and a LLC. Much to come, I do believe.

I am toying with the idea of legally changing my name to morri. If you knew my crazy journey you might understand why. lol

Still within names…

The last few weeks confirmations and signs have been swirling around me (including an unexpected phone call). Many are concerning my vision/wishes concerning fashion design. It all has to do with my ideas of ”Twyla” by Morri.

and yes..the name Twyla came to me by way of voice (during waking hours)..this time, a feminine one.

Maybe next week, I will write more of Twyla here (also the painting revealed to me).

To ignore signs and confirmations would be quite rude of me, don’t you agree? That would be refusing gifts. Gifts..I wished for. :)

So..

the journey goes on..

and signs & confirmations (and voices for some of us) along the way,

but we must

be aware.

For we never know when or where such may come–

until next time..

within light..

** Note: maybe in time,  I’ll write more about the voice(s)

morriArt.com

~

Within Muscadines ©Morri

24″ x 32″ x 1.5″ acrylic / wrapped canvas

~

When you possess

light within,

you see it

externally. 

~Anaïs Nin

~

Running late on my monday post this week..’tis Wednesday night. I found myself a little under the weather for a few days. Sickness sure does make one appreciate wellness..yes? Happy to be out and about in my studio and garden again.

 Today I feel drawn to write about art, within paints & glass…

First, a little about the painting Within Muscadines…

I painted this from images I shot while on a visit to a vineyard in our area. I love how light threads its way through the deeply shadowed vines. I also love to eat these grapes straight off the vine. Naturally birds savor the grapes too..so I had to tuck one or two within the shadows ..yellow rumped warblers they are!

These grapes are native to our area..(Muscadines are also called “America’s first grapes, discovered in 1584). As I said, I love to eat them, but they are also good makings for wine. At our place on Drayton Isle I hope to have my own little vineyard..it all circles back to the ancient history of the island. I hope to eventually make my own muscadine wine, but much less sweet than what I’ve tasted thus far. I’ll certainly let you know when it comes to be!

Still on the subject of art,

only now, is of glass..

My good friend & glass artist, Deb, gave me an old stained glass window, found by a contractor friend of hers discarded beneath a building in Jacksonville Florida. I fell in love with it and brought it home straight away. I knew exactly where it was to go…

Antique stained glass window photo ©Morri

I placed it in the parlor (my favorite room) on a lovely iron easel in front of the window that overlooks my little vegetable garden and the river beyond. I have to say. I am quite enchanted by this glass piece of purple, amber, and green. Maybe it is the heart design..or the colors..or the stories that lie within the glass. Stories such as how did it end up buried in darkness beneath a building or

who was the maker…

I know the artist left here long ago..who knows maybe his or her spirit will channel through the shards of glass. I hope so.

Well, I must hush for the day is quickly coming to a close.

Tonight as moonlight filters through the window I will raise my glass of wine to my friend Deb, all the humanitarians among us, and a stained glass artist from a time and place long ago..

within light..

morriArt.com

Sparkly Clutches-photo ©Morri (click on images to enlarge)

Aren’t they lovely? My photo did not do them justice.

 ♥ read about these beauties on down a bit

I’ve been mad busy since my week ago Monday post, and I would have the beginning of a book if I wrote about my nights and days. So I will spare you and me. I’ll only chat about a few things–how about biz meeting-thrifting with friends and gardening?

Friends first…

Once a month I meet with Mark & Susana, a couple of friends – treasures in my life. I met them through my Rotary club. Anyway, what began as a business/lunch meeting some months ago has evolved into so much more. We still discuss, encourage, and inspire each other about our businesses and latest projects, tasks, and goals. I think it works well because we are all in totally different fields, a mix of gender, and of age. (me being the elder-ette)

We used to always meet at the same place, but now we select an interesting venue or area to explore. Last week we were in Green Cove Springs, Florida..a lovely little town just across the bridge from me.

We decided to check out a few thrift stores, and I found a few things that caught my eye and work for my visions in process.

Here’s a few of them:

Large heavy green bowls..

Green Bowls photo ©Morri

Love the color green, so I had to have these.

So pretty, and perfect for parties. I will keep them in the parlor (one of my favorite rooms) for a spell. Seemed fitting to have them beside my basil  and grove pepper plants ( brought in for a few days due to our cold weather).

♥ I think my most favorite finds were the little purses at the top. They are so different yet so similar in style..sparkly so. I see so many possibilities using them..especially the black one.

hmm…

Maybe I’ll start posting some photos of what I “put together” when I venture out into the world. :)

Beyond thrifting ..

We had lunch at a locally owned Italian place called D’Fontana that my husband and I eat. The owners are from Rome, Italy and the food is very good and reasonable. After a long lunch we strolled a couple of doors down to the newly opened Spring Park Coffee –>(facebook page) also locally owned. Named such because it is a lovely walk away from Spring Park on the St John’s River. Very quaint inside and two adorable young ladies made us delicious coffees..mine a latte, of course. :) They serve Allegro coffee (read about why I like the coffee and the concept by clicking on the link)

I finished my thrifty day with A Little Florida Cookbook by Anne Hardy. I’m looking forward to trying some of the recipes..especially for guests when we are at our place on Drayton Island. I’ll be writing about that world from time to time..it is a place of dreams and possibilities!

on to

Gardening…

Last week I tended to my little kitchen garden (only 22 steps from center of kitchen). Over the years I’ve always had something growing in the dirt, but something happened during this winter garden. I’m turning  into a serious gardener (and wanna be cook). I’ m morri-fied (see definition in margin on right). hee hee

It took travels to the Tuscan and French countryside/villas to paint en plein air for me to remember what I grew up with (part of my life)..delicious meals straight from the garden..not a box or can.

I guess you could say it took a 6000 mile trip across the ocean for me to fall in love with my own world again.

Anyway, last week I spent lots of hours weeding, feeding, and nurturing. You may think me crazy (won’t be the last time you do), but I swear the plants responded with happiness. Images of my garden earlier on are on my previous post Canvases of  cloth and dirt.

Garden work, end of day.

A garden toast (more thrifting treasures)..

Garden toast, end of day-photo ©Morri

One of four wine glasses..again my photo does not do it justice. It’s a lovely green with delicate etching near the top. I don’t know if they’re old or crystal, I just know I liked them. (as I mentioned in my last post–I buy what I like or feel connected to).

The colorful ceramic pitcher is probably my second best-loved find. I did a little research and it was designed by a living artist named, Morag Benepe.  Just the colors made me feel warm and happy. I am thinking summer evenings, friends, and a pitcher of margaritas.

Speaking of wine and margaritas

XO,

morriArt.com

shades, designs, & textures

in

the color purple

 I confess, I love fashion on all levels! I am not a fashion snob though…if I like something I’ll buy it, no matter where I find it. I also love vintage and sewing my own. You get the idea…oh, and I also find things online.

I guess I would say my style is eclectic (most everything about me is..including my art). I love layers and mixing things up in patterns, designs, and materials. I was wearing a lot of black and a tad of gray/silver due to my hair color (silver in the front now), but as of late, I’ve begun adding a few more colors into my palette.. like pinks, greens, & purple/lavenders. I think I am entering yet another era–a peaceful happy era..ever transcending. Age allows one to do so, and that is a good thing.

Anyway, here a few recent bargains..a favorite dress I ordered online (Simply Vera) around $25.00.

front

back

ha ha..no I don’t keep my clothes outside it was just such a lovely day in the garden..the light was perfect for purple!

The dress, coat from Target (marked down to 14.99), yummy shoes by Dana Buchman,

and one of my scarves from my trip to Venice (yes..bargains there too!)

I ordered this dress online. How wonderful that it came straight away to my front door, and I was not disappointed in the least. It’s quite lovely..so simple and feels light as air. I tend to look for pieces that make me happy and are comfortable. I also look for things that I feel are age appropriate..now I don’t mean frumpy or church lady things..no indeed. It simply means I leave the mini’s and such to the young ladies. Which my dears, is where I think such should be…I am quite *morri-fyde at what I see on some “mature” ladies–sometimes frighteningly so!

*morri-fydes are simply things that I love, interest, intrigue..or surprise me!

and

fashion most certainly does!

I know at times, it can be a challenge to find what you wish or need. I often feel frustrated myself.

Soooo I am thinking…

I will create my own designs. Actually, I already have created them in the morri boutique in my mind. :) I’ve had a name for my dress line for a spell..

Twyla, by Morri

“Morri” is all properly trademarked..I am branded now hee hee, and I have Morri, LLC..so I need to stop planning & planning & procrastinating about possibilities and do something…yes? I may eventually tell you how the Twyla came to be..better yet I should paint her. She has been lingering in my thoughts begging me to do so. So maybe I shall…

Well, I think i will end this monday evening post. I have truly chattered about nothing important..and I like that. I wanted and needed a place of un-seriousness (another word I think I just made up..ha ha).

Darlings, if I am to do all the un-serious and lovely things swirling around in my mind/heart…I will need to live a 1000+ years. Who knows I just may..I have never quite felt I was from this world anyway. :)

in the meantime…

good & creative energies to you,

 xo!

Ps I think I am somewhat compulsive. I’ve changed the title of this blog a zillion times. Sorry to the few souls out there that found me..what can I say? It has always been such..I am a fretter (spell check informed me that is not a word..well it is now) hee hee  Now that I’ve apologized..I’ll truly hush.

morriArt.com

~

Last Dance ©Morri

24″ x 32″ acrylic on canvas (sold)

~

If

I were

to be

a flower,

’tis a wild rose

I 

would

be. 

~morri

~

I’ve been busy outside. It is beautiful weather here in NE Florida, and I am taking advantage of it. I’ve been tidying up some areas and re-arranging some flower beds. Gardens are like canvases .. only of dirt. :)

Of course, I’ve added to my winter vegetable garden and planted a few more herbs.

Divine little radishes in the garden (red and white).

(white radishes are a new addition)

Delicious dishes to come of  Thyme  planted in garden vessel

(this very heavy shell vessel was abandoned..can you imagine!)

Last but most certainly not least, I am slowly creating my rose garden which will mainly consist of antique roses. They are my most favorite roses of all..tough survivors they are and low maintenance.  I like that in roses and in people..I tend to be that way myself.

Here is a photo of the beginning of my antique rose garden.

The handsome Louis Philippe in the foreground & the lovely Miss Atwood touching garden bench.

It will be a place to paint roses, gather a few to enjoy inside, or simply to linger on the bench (another abandoned thing) in fragrant silence…one of my places to step away from the world (painting in the studio is another).

I hope you have such a place..

Speaking of roses.

Note on Last Dance: The pink rose bud was the last one from my antique climbing rose-bush (it died). :( I still have the little antique bottle..it was found in the attic of an 1880 house we are working on (more on that in time). This painting sold some years ago, and much to my regret, I have no idea who owns it. A mistake I let happen as a rookie artist.

Well, enough for now. I’ve still not shared this new blog site on my facebook page. I think I like having a little place to come and go as I please NO obligation or stress about blog post deadlines. I know the “networking” experts advise having a regular schedule. I did that on my gypsy-heart blog..and that is where it all went awry for me. I stopped enjoying it. So I’ll come here when and if I have something to say..not just rambling words because I have to be on my blog schedule.

so until that happens again…

Enjoy the journey!

XO,

morriArt.com

~

New Light (change) ©Morri

24″ x 32″ acrylic / wrapped canvas

(click on the image to enlarge)

~

‘Oft

change comes

when

least expected

&

most needed.

~morri

~

New Light (change) was in my recent solo show, and it was in another show before that. Alas, like many of my paintings I went back into it…this often happens if they stay with me long enough. While working on something in the studio another piece will keep floating through my mind disrupting my concentration, until it finds its way on the easel. I then find myself re-visiting it with new and different insight. 

Here is this piece before the changes: 

Often, the painting will paint itself..if only you let your mind step aside. Such was the case with this piece..I even changed the title. I was never quite happy with the painting before, but now it feels complete to me.

Life is much like that..sometimes we need to leave things alone and “let be” for a spell. We have to make our mind step out-of-the-way. Recently, such happened in my life. I was very upset about a situation, I stressed over it for months..

I’m talking depths of despair crying spells, kind of upset!

I was beginning to make myself physically ill over it, so I had to get a gripe! I made myself accept that I could not change or control the situation and decided to just “let be” allowing all to evolve and unfold. Make no mistake, I’m not saying it was easy for me to do, but I did it!

Well, guess what..after a quiet lull (as in mind/heart), something wonderful happened! Something that was totally unexpected and never would have happened, if not for that very situation!! Who knew..certainly not I, my own master (or so I thought).

NOW..

I would not change any of that history..not even the upsetting chapters.

For all feels complete…what a perfect change!

Art and life are much the same for me. So, I need to just keep living life and “making” art..let go of my worries and let all unfold. Along the way, I’ll use my work as my journal..that seems to be how I work through my crazy ass life anyway! I’ve come to realize that must be why most, if not all, of my pieces have stories, symbolism, secrets, ..within the images. Did you see the heart within the sunflower (more symbols listed below..there’s also a surprise in the list).

Hmm…in a distant time and place, long after I’m gone from here (save my spirit), they (the art gods) may say I was a genius or a total mad woman. ha ha

Well, enough from me for now..

until next time..

morriArt.com

* Painting Info:

New Light (change): lots of symbolism in this piece. I’ll not bore you with all of it..but of course

one crow= death or change (new energies)

sunflowers=follow the light

sign within the sunflower= universe

do you see the dancing figure? (if anyone truly sees & mentions it in a comment..I have a gift for you) Hint: look for child form stick figure. :)

etc.

 

oil/canvas (sold) *info about this piece below

~

the moon

sent her messenger

of dreams

to me. 

He said,

“my dear

’tis your own

heart

that holds

the 

sacred key!”

~morri

Listening to my heart again..which has been pulling me back to blogging. So this is a new place for me. I confess, I have abandoned several blogs..eventually taking a two-year sabbatical from blogging. Only one blog remains public now.. my original blog–>gypsy-heart. I cannot bring myself to delete it, too much history there..raw history. I seriously thought about returning to g-h again, but I think not..that time has passed and much has changed

One major change is I totally go by my name morri now..as an artist and in life. So I’ve gone through an evolution of simplification in how I sign my work and in my life…

from

Susan Morrison Sims

to

smSims

to

morri

Eventually, I may write of the why morri, and how unbeknownst to me, it is connected to my beloved father, who left this world on October 24, 2010.

I’ve been working on this site off and on, for weeks..I selected numerous blog titles, uploaded many headers from among my art images, and I wrote about 20 “first” posts..and I deleted them all! :~O Nothing quite fit about this new blogging venue.

Until I thought.. NO need to write of my past, just write about what’s happening in life–>now!

So many things I am interested in, now exploring, and there is no doubt that I’m all over the place in my interests and in my life..within the large and the small. Okay I’ve decided…

“The Journey” (I fancy life), it will be!  The Journey is the title of one of my paintings (the image is posted on my about page). It has quite a story and history that seems to be never ending.

There is no predicting what may find its way here, who knows I may even open the door to some secrets. (hee hee) Beware, for I am quite obsessed with the curiosities and wonderings, but most especially with things of heart.

until next time..

morriArt.com

*The Messenger:  The painting is sold, but has not moved to the new owner yet. It is very symbolic and like so many of my pieces has special meanings for me. I’ll miss this piece when it leaves me..alas, it like so many others is etched within my mind & heart.

*Prints/cards available 

   morriArt.com