Grace Morris is an emerging artist currently residing in Aurora, CO. In May 2021, Grace received her BFA in Printmaking and a minor in history from Colorado State University. She primarily focuses on traditional print mediums, such as relief and cyanotype prints. Her work portrays architectural forms, styles, and structures, as well as their relationship to society, history, and personal experiences. Grace’s work has been featured in various exhibitions throughout Colorado. She was a resident artist from May to July 2022 as part of the Art District on Santa Fe’s Emerging Artist Program in Denver, CO.
Grace is currently creating multi-layer cyanotype and linocut prints. She is pushing the boundaries of the cyanotype process by creating cyanotypes with multiple layers, color and photo transparencies. Along with cyanotypes, she is exploring multi-color and multi-block relief prints. Grace’s work is based on photographs of architectural spaces that have left an impression on her. Due to moving homes every few years and exploring new cities, Grace has become more aware of her temporary interactions with architectural spaces. These transient experiences have motivated her to observe and document spaces. Grace photographs buildings and architectural compositions that intrigue her and uses those images as reference photos for work later on.
Artist Statement:
The preservation of architectural spaces and their relation to society, history and personal experiences is the overarching theme of my work. I am immediately drawn towards the aesthetic of structures, along with the technical and mathematical challenge of depicting architecture. I have found that there are endless possibilities and inspiration when portraying architecture due to the variety of building forms, materials and styles. Along with providing structure and safety, architecture shows historical and cultural aspects. The purpose and architectural style of a structure provide insight into the societal concerns and cultural norms of the time of construction. The purpose of the building, whether domestic, religious, academic, etc, also determines the aesthetic and layout of the building and can often become a symbol or haven to its inhabitants. I believe buildings are artifacts of history and heritage and can contain a wide variety of experiences and stories within their walls.
The concept and act of preservation are a major theme in my work. The buildings I depict in my work have a personal, communal or historical connection to where I’m currently residing or have resided in the past. My pieces are based on structures and landscapes in close proximity to where I’m living. I reference photos I take or historical photographs found in local online archival repositories. I am interested in preserving the space around me, whether that be my own private, domestic space or historical buildings and imagery that have shaped the current landscape of the community and city I’m living in. I use art as a way to preserve architectural details and compositions that are memorable to me, along with the histories and experiences those structures carry.