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| Mitchell Morton, artist. Photo by Don Bryan. |
Finding an image that represents the vast waters and breathtaking landscapes along coastal North Carolina is as effortless as viewing the paintings of artist Mitchell Morton.
Morton’s lifelong adoration of the coast can be found splashed among many canvasses in the area, but his largest canvas yet will be this year’s The North Carolina Seafood Festival. Morton’s painting “Fruits of the Sea” was selected as the official poster for the festival, which will be held Oct. 5-7 in Morehead City. The Onslow County native said it was an honor to know that his work would represent the second largest festival in the state.
“Being the North Carolina Seafood Festival, it really expands the area that my work can cover and allows a wider range of exposure,” Morton said. “I’m very excited; it’s one of the highlights of my life.”
Each year, artists submit pieces of work and the Seafood Festival committee selects one piece. Morton said that he submitted a painting for the first time this year. The N.C. Seafood Festival Board of Directors and U.S. Cellular recently honored Morton at the 2012 Commemorative Poster Unveiling at the Train Depot in Morehead City. Viewers will have a chance to see the original painting in various locations until October and Morton will sign copies of the commemorative poster at the Arts by the Sea Festival on June 9 beginning at 9 a.m.
The painting depicts a familiar viewpoint, a plate of steamed oysters and a background of ships at dock, including one ship named “Miss Irene.” Morton wanted to emphasize the importance of the fishermen who bring in the harvest of seafood and the people who buy and consume it.
“My concept was really to relate the harvest to the seafood, a lot of work goes into harvesting but with the consumer it makes it full circle,” Morton said. “It was during the time of Hurricane Irene that I started working on the painting … that boat was originally blank and it was actually my wife who said to name it Irene.”
Morton grew up along the White Oak River and the Queens Creek area near Swansboro. As a child, Morton said that he used art as a form of entertainment and spent hours creating drawing and small sculptures out of household items.
“I used to take my mother’s Ivory soap and a butter knife started carving things and it was just intriguing to me,” Morton said.
As young man, Morton briefly worked in the seafood industry on shrimp trawlers and at seafood houses. From the harvesting of seafood to serving it on a platter, Morton said that every part of the cycle is valuable to livelihood of the industry.
“I worked a short amount of time but enough to know that it is a lot of hard work and it’s interesting and a lot goes into harvesting North Carolina Seafood,” Morton said. “I respect the people who do it but without the consumer that wouldn’t work either.”
Morton decided to pursue painting after the responsibilities of adulthood eased after his two children left home. He began to look outside of the window of his home for inspiration and the ideas for his work blossomed with each painting.
“I’m 64 and I kind of started on a new adventure in life about four years ago and I started painting and presenting my art to the public,” Morton said. “When something comes up I pursue it. You can’t have something you’ve never had if you don’t do something you’ve never done.”
As a founding member of the Onslow Outdoor Painters Society, or OOPS, Morton said he developed confidence and friendship with other artists who wanted to explore new ways to expand their creative abilities using nature and imagination. A self-taught artist, Morton has worked in a variety of mediums including oils, pastel and mixed media but primarily uses acrylic to turn ordinary objects into colorful memories of his outdoor destinations.
“It has really helped me to grow and meet new challenges and pursue different avenues with my work; so far I have been really happy,” Morton said. “I do some portrait work, but landscapes have been my focus. I’ve done some in the mountains but I primarily do work of the coast.”
Morton’s work has won several awards in local shows, including the Onslow Art Society “Images” show, Coastal Carolina Community College and the Beaufort County Fine art show. His pieces can be also found hanging in the Tidewater Gallery in Swansboro and the Art Works Gallery in New Bern. Morton said that he never runs of out ideas and inspiration when it comes to the coast.
“I live in a beautiful place, and there’s a variety of things to paint and many beautiful places to paint,” he said. “It’s like an endless source of material to work from. I’m trying to relay a message of what I’m visually seeing.”
Together Morton and his wife Penny live in Hubert and provide a specialized painting business for interiors and furniture. Morton said he hopes that his newly found success is an inspiration to others to explore the coast and utilize their divinely given talents.
“I’m thankful that God has allowed me to have a certain amount of talent, and I’m trying to utilize it in anyway I can,” he said. “Hopefully if I’m doing something to help someone else, I encourage them to go ahead and pursue their goals. If the door is not open, keep on knocking and God will make a way for you.”
Morton’s lifelong adoration of the coast can be found splashed among many canvasses in the area, but his largest canvas yet will be this year’s The North Carolina Seafood Festival. Morton’s painting “Fruits of the Sea” was selected as the official poster for the festival, which will be held Oct. 5-7 in Morehead City. The Onslow County native said it was an honor to know that his work would represent the second largest festival in the state.
“Being the North Carolina Seafood Festival, it really expands the area that my work can cover and allows a wider range of exposure,” Morton said. “I’m very excited; it’s one of the highlights of my life.”
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| Offcial poster from Mitchell's painting, "Fruits of the Sea." |
The painting depicts a familiar viewpoint, a plate of steamed oysters and a background of ships at dock, including one ship named “Miss Irene.” Morton wanted to emphasize the importance of the fishermen who bring in the harvest of seafood and the people who buy and consume it.
“My concept was really to relate the harvest to the seafood, a lot of work goes into harvesting but with the consumer it makes it full circle,” Morton said. “It was during the time of Hurricane Irene that I started working on the painting … that boat was originally blank and it was actually my wife who said to name it Irene.”
Morton grew up along the White Oak River and the Queens Creek area near Swansboro. As a child, Morton said that he used art as a form of entertainment and spent hours creating drawing and small sculptures out of household items.
“I used to take my mother’s Ivory soap and a butter knife started carving things and it was just intriguing to me,” Morton said.
As young man, Morton briefly worked in the seafood industry on shrimp trawlers and at seafood houses. From the harvesting of seafood to serving it on a platter, Morton said that every part of the cycle is valuable to livelihood of the industry.
“I worked a short amount of time but enough to know that it is a lot of hard work and it’s interesting and a lot goes into harvesting North Carolina Seafood,” Morton said. “I respect the people who do it but without the consumer that wouldn’t work either.”
Morton decided to pursue painting after the responsibilities of adulthood eased after his two children left home. He began to look outside of the window of his home for inspiration and the ideas for his work blossomed with each painting.
“I’m 64 and I kind of started on a new adventure in life about four years ago and I started painting and presenting my art to the public,” Morton said. “When something comes up I pursue it. You can’t have something you’ve never had if you don’t do something you’ve never done.”
As a founding member of the Onslow Outdoor Painters Society, or OOPS, Morton said he developed confidence and friendship with other artists who wanted to explore new ways to expand their creative abilities using nature and imagination. A self-taught artist, Morton has worked in a variety of mediums including oils, pastel and mixed media but primarily uses acrylic to turn ordinary objects into colorful memories of his outdoor destinations.
“It has really helped me to grow and meet new challenges and pursue different avenues with my work; so far I have been really happy,” Morton said. “I do some portrait work, but landscapes have been my focus. I’ve done some in the mountains but I primarily do work of the coast.”
Morton’s work has won several awards in local shows, including the Onslow Art Society “Images” show, Coastal Carolina Community College and the Beaufort County Fine art show. His pieces can be also found hanging in the Tidewater Gallery in Swansboro and the Art Works Gallery in New Bern. Morton said that he never runs of out ideas and inspiration when it comes to the coast.
“I live in a beautiful place, and there’s a variety of things to paint and many beautiful places to paint,” he said. “It’s like an endless source of material to work from. I’m trying to relay a message of what I’m visually seeing.”
Together Morton and his wife Penny live in Hubert and provide a specialized painting business for interiors and furniture. Morton said he hopes that his newly found success is an inspiration to others to explore the coast and utilize their divinely given talents.
“I’m thankful that God has allowed me to have a certain amount of talent, and I’m trying to utilize it in anyway I can,” he said. “Hopefully if I’m doing something to help someone else, I encourage them to go ahead and pursue their goals. If the door is not open, keep on knocking and God will make a way for you.”
