Sketchbook peek: Kevin Brent Morris
Continuing our behind-the-scenes peek into some of our artists’ sketchbooks—next up, Kevin Brent Morris from Kansas City, Kansas!
Kevin Brent Morrisis an emerging representational artist working primarily in acrylics. A colorist with a strong commitment to form and light, Morris combines direct observation and expressive color to create representations that juxtapose planes of flattened space with domestic and natural objects, conveying depth and plays of light. He is interested in giving presence, depth, and space to small, seemingly insignificant, ephemeral things such as flowers, bugs, or interior scenes of domestic life.
How do you capture all the inspiration you come across on a daily basis?
I tend to travel with a sketchbook and usually with a set of gauche paints. I try to sketch and paint on a daily basis, so keeping the tools of the trade close-at-hand is critical.
Do you do a lot of preliminary work in your sketchbook, or do you allow the piece to take shape while you're working on it?
I experiment a lot in my sketchbooks. They are a place where I try new things and techniques, some which work and some that are horrible. It's all part of learning and innovating in my art practice. The majority of my gallery paintings do not directly originate from sketchbook work, but the sketchbook work influences them, without a doubt.
How have the contents of your sketchbooks changed throughout time?
Over time, I've found that I worry less about what I produce in the sketchbooks. They are for me only. (And for my kids when I die.) The less precious I am with them the more precious they become to me.
