A simple explanation of my sculpture would be the idea of contrast – two very different things that are inter-related to create a balance. Contrasts that are not contradictory, but rather complementary are especially interesting to me.  Symbols, such as unevenly balanced objects joined by chains, causes viewers to inwardly ask the question, "What am I bound to?" As simple as long forgotten memories of childhood activities or as monumental as a painful life tragedy, these things bind us and are a significant component of who we are. The relationship between mother and child, siblings and couples and the communities we live in and to which we are bound. The varied and dynamic events, places, people, and things that have touched us inform our future choices, commitments, habits, and journeys. As I convey this sense of destiny in my work, the final product allows viewers the opportunity to contemplate personal obligations, histories, and potentials.

 

As a child, I loved to watch the massive cargo ships laden with extremely heavy loads passing in and out of port near my hometown of New Orleans. In contrast to their industrial qualities, the ships’ displayed the amazing ability to glide easily through the water - an effect caused by the intelligence of man in a harmonious understanding of the forces of nature. 

 

I have imitated this quality of extreme contrasts through the creation of bulky sculptures made of metal with intermittent moments of thin translucent lexan or plastic, creating an odd feeling of weighted light as an electric or solar bulb burns from within. Although normally considered to be weightless and free, here light has been trapped inside a hard dark cell. Though restricted to its’ metal case, the small inner glow is still allowed to share its’ beauty through the patterned panes of open space, making us aware that this element is just as powerful as the contrasting materials outwardly used for the sculpture’s creation. The limitation of space does not restrict the light’s ability or influence, allowing two opposing forces to work together.

 

For me, the final artwork is only half of the journey of being an artist. The process is equally important. Though I am a sculptor, I also spend much of my time with graphite and paper -- drawing as many images as necessary to appropriately plan my actions for a 3D project.  After settling on the right design by achieving a sense of completion with a drawing, a CAD designer converts the image to a format which can be sent to a laser service for precision cutting of the various pieces of steel or aluminum needed for my work. I then weld the pieces together over an armature for stability and support. Then, clear lexan material is riveted to the structure under the intricately patterned cutouts and spray-painted from the inside to achieve a variety of radiant colors. An interior light powered by a LED or solar device is placed in the interior space of the sculpture, and the piece is complete. 

 

I have been working as a professional studio and public artist for over 10 years and my experience includes a broad spectrum of commissioned work and public art planning and development.   I believe that sculpture site planning should incorporate the nuances of the land, the specific environment and/or any unique cultural features that will contextualize the onsite art. I research every project to better understand the character of the site and the best potential uses, that inspire creativity and innovation.  My past experiences have facilitated an integrated approach to art planning which emphasizes active collaborations and partnerships with design teams, landscape architects, architects, engineers and the community as a whole. I work to understand the big picture, and know the importance of client and public involvement and the critical effect it has on the planning process and the project deliverable and outcome.

 

My studio is located in the center of Wade Sand and Gravel, which is on the grounds the original Republic Steel company and home to one of the largest coke smelting plant in Alabama. Many of century old buildings remain from Birmingham's industrial revolution. The old coke ovens and pump houses are reminders of the days when the site boomed with activity as a Steel plant and as later as the Thomas Coke Works plant. My studio consists of the former coal testing lab and an adjacent rail car shed, which I am constantly in the process of restoring.   Working from my studio on-site at the Wade Sand and Gravel quarry in the industrial district or Birmingham, Alabama, I continually inspired by the surroundings to create large objects fit for harsh environments.  Many of the themes of my work are inspired by the perspective of working in the midst of the what remains of the industrial age of America.  My work seeks both the representational and symbolic - based on the continuous interplay of nature, humanity and technology and the evolutionary effect each plays on the other.    

 

Born in New Orleans in 1964, Morrison received her BA from The University of the South in Sewanee,Tennessee.  She spent several years in London, working as an economist and the focus of her work was not only on methods of structural economic change, but also on improving the potential for the mass of population.  It is this same desire to facilitate improving potential that led her to be a welder and an artist who seeks to create by cutting and re-fabricating steel and aluminum and integrating them with elements of very large stone.  Morrison studied welding at Bessemer State College and began to work as a sculptor.  Over the years, Morrison has expanded her spatial scope and currently focuses on large- scale work - including site- specific works created for architectural, urban, or landscape settings.

 

Every sculpture I create is designed for durability as well as beauty - made from industrial grade materials and constructed to withstand inclement weather and real world conditions.