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To contact me, and for gallery information, email: morgan@morgancolebrook.com
Also, please see the Comment Form below Painting provides me the opportunity for personal creativity, a joy that also humbles me, reminding me that all I can create is only by an act of faith. In spite of intensive observation, planning, and working to improve the skills I need to bring forth my vision, only the Master Creator can orchestrate unified form out of the chaos. I believe Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For me, this is not a cliche. It is the foundation truth by which we judge our environment; we decide in advance that a thing is banal, or is meaningful. With the presupposition that Beauty exists all around us I look to the ordinary for the beauty which I seek. The small and unpretentious, the seen but unobserved events and objects in our daily patterns, are indeed imbued with vitality and energy; they exude insight, wisdom, and a gentle peace, if we see them. I hope to express in my work, with reverence for the gift God has given me, and with the power of light, the drama of our common experience. I hope to awaken and invigorate, in all who see my paintings, an awe for life, an empathy for existence. I would like to heighten the sense that how we perceive our world around us is a reflection of our Selves, that if we pause to See what is before our eyes we will behold Beauty. Commissions I am excited to offer the opportunity to share in the special meaning of your experiences, and to bring added life to them through my painting. I welcome the privilege of your trust and invite you to consider fulfilling that opportunity. I can work from your photographs and written descriptions of a special place or the object of your affection. If you are comfortable doing so you can send something I can work from directly. Prices will generally follow the paintings you see on my website, varying according to size and the extent of detail. Please send me an email of what you have in mind. It will be my pleasure to discuss your project with you by email or telephone. morgan@morgancolebrook.com |
May all I do bring honor and glory to His Name, my Lord Christ Jesus. For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen. — Romans 11:36 From age 12 I have balanced work, school, and travel with my art, from delivering newspapers and mowing lawns as a youngster, to selling personalized graphic art services, and operating my own commercial sign company in the San Francisco Bay Area. Through high school and college I provided calligraphic awards, certificates, and diplomas to academia and businesses, and sold my drawings and paintings through area galleries, stores, and art fairs.
I have traveled frequently and extensively throughout America and Canada on a motorcycle with a backpack. The odometer on the ol' Beemer broke at 107058. How I love this beautiful land! I established SIGNgrafik, a commercial sign company in Hayward, CA, employing 8 full time graphic artists and craftsmen designing and manufacturing commercial signs for Bay Area businesses. After 10 years I successfully sold the business in 1989 to paint full time. I enjoy living in the Blue Ridge Mountains with my wife, Karen, my son and daughter, Jonathan and Jennifer, with our dogs Pal and Bruno, and Jennifer's cat, Lolena. Not so many miles on the motorcycle anymore . . . . No regrets. Morgan Colebrook, Roanoke, Virginia 2008 • 1948 Born, Cincinnati, Ohio • 1966 Woodward High School (Go Bulldogs!), Cincinnati • 1970 Bachelor of Fine Art, Painting, Art Academy of Cincinnati • Lotta miles on the bike • 1974 Bachelor of Science, University of Cincinnati • 1976 Masters of Fine Art, Mills College, Oakland, California • More miles on the bike • 1979 Established SIGNgrafik, Hayward, California • 1989 Sold SIGNgrafik • 1994 Jonathan Born • 1998 Relocated to Roanoke, Virginia • 2001 Jennifer Born • No miles on the bike • I have enjoyed representation in California, Florida, Vermont, and Virginia, including private collections throughout the United States. |
For Just A Moment Oil 20 x 16 Private Collection |
Winter Light Oil 14 x 20
Private Collection |
Wanderlust Oil 16 x 24
Private Collection This scene is our living room in California. The weather was almost always wonderful. In spite of my love for reading I couldn't resist the persistent call to wander in the warm sunlight through our lush green garden under crystal blue California skies. |
Light Shower 24 x 33 (GA)
Private Collection Dappled Light. God's own enchanted wand. Place anything in filtered shade and the harshness of the world seems to dissipate; all is cool, and fresh, a silent dance of peace and contentment. |
Winter Rose Oil 16 x 12
Private Collection Heirlooms Appreciating God’s Creation unveils the treasure within simplicity. Connecting with the Spiritual Origin of our longings, hopes, and desires transforms the ordinary, kindling warm reflections of intimacy, mystery, solitude: stirring precious shadows just beyond the limits of our vision. That stirring is a reminiscence of a particular instant, an ephemeral moment when Spirit and Beauty took form and became real. A certain tune or fragrance may liberate a torrent of tender memories with a person, a time, a place, an event, or a momentous decision, marking a special landmark in life's journey. Each of our feelings about something is out of our own experiences, unique to our own spiritual reality. But the sensation is a common one, an extraordinary moment we all recognize but often find indescribable. |
A Pear Oil 10 x 8
Private Collection The added purpose of my painting is to give form to the reality of Spirit in life, to evoke the poetry of our Souls with something recognizable that stirs an association we can all share, to reawaken that indescribable sensation when we beheld Beauty. There is something near and dear to each of us we cannot relinquish at any price. In its presence we breathe fresh air, extend the roots of who we are, define the very purpose of our being. The wholeness of our lives, or our emptiness, is reflected by that simple entity, meaningless of itself, but central to our entire universe. The simple and plain, burnished with the touch of those we love, is a glimpse of heavenly treasure. Those heirlooms we hold dear inspire my painting. It’s a way I can honor the Loving God Who first made us able to love. My privilege is the opportunity to paint the special treasure you hold dear. |
My Dad My Hero Oil 18 x 24 Private Collection My Dad is stern stuff. Born in Chicago, now living in Connecticut, he has redefined Yankee Grit. At 85, he flies his Cesna, hikes weekly with his buddies, and does odd jobs for 'old' people. And he still wows the ladies. A man of integrity and conviction, he taught me the Puritan work ethic as it was intended: 'Whatever you choose to do, be the best.' Portraits I can work from photographs to create an endearing pencil rendering or oil painting of yourself or a loved one. I will also want to conduct several interviews to become as familiar with you as possible. More than capturing a likeness I will strive to capture the character and personality of my subject. Pricing a portrait will be determined in part by the size and scope of the portrait and also the extent of preparation, i.e., interviews and preliminary drawings. Send an email to get started; I would like to talk with you personally, either by email or telephone, to go over your ideas and answer all of your questions. morgan@morgancolebrook.com |
Jennifer Pencil 10 x 8
Collection of the Artist Jennifer is truly God's response to fervent prayer. Born borderline autistic, her beautiful, but expressionless features broke our hearts. We trusted God's intentions for her, knowing He was at work in our lives. She's seven now. She's taught herself to read and write, she draws and paints and sings and dances . . . 24/7. God is Great! |
Portrait Drawings Pencil
Private Collections |