Morris Cole Graves
Arriving in trying times, the sixth of eight children, Graves was born on the 28th of August, 1910.Throughout his adolescence Graves developed his abilities as a gardener and began to make watercolor paintings and drawings of the developing architecture. In 1928, before graduating from high school, Graves shipped off as a merchant sailor with the American Mail Service and made several trips to Asia and Japan. It was here he was introduced to the influence of nature in Japanese art, gardens, architecture and thought and became interested in the Eastern religions and the cultural practice of integrating one’s life with beauty. Upon returning to the States, Graves visited Los Angeles, San Diego, New Orleans and Beaumont, Texas—where he graduated from high school before returning to Seattle. Primarily a self-taught artist, Graves and other artists of the time would go into the streets, neighborhoods and wilderness of Puget Sound to draw and paint, expanding their skills and understanding by creating a practice of studying and seeing. In addition, they would share ideas about art and life, all of which served to create a dynamic arts education. It was during the 1930’s and the early 1940’s that Graves developed many close life-long friendships with artists that provided camaraderie and encouragement in developing his skills, artistic vision and focus.In 1934 he set up an art studio with fellow Northwest School painter Guy Anderson. He began to paint for the Federal Arts Project in 1936 and had his first one-person exhibition at the Seattle Art Museum. He and other painters worked sporadically for the Museum, which left them time to pursue their own artwork. For them, a career in the arts wasn’t about making it ‘big’ but a lifetime commitment to using the arts in gaining understanding of the world.In the late 1950’s Graves moved to Ireland, an area that has a climate similar to that of the North Coast. He continued to draw, paint and travel before settling in Humboldt County in 1964 and resided here until his death in 2001. |
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The Great Blue Heron Yogi and the Great Rainbow Trout Yogi in Phenomenal Space, Mental Space and the Space of Consciousness,1979 Tempera on Paper |
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Pacific Rim Image III,1994 Acrylic on Paper Donated by Robert Yarber 1999.002.005 |
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Bird with Void, 1944 Tempera on Paper |
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Soaring Osprey, 1997 Acrylic on Paper Donated by Robert Yarber 1999.002.003 |
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Dawn Tao (container vessel & nesting puffin), 1983 Acrylic on Paper Donated by Robert Yarber 1999.002.006 |
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Ant War, 1958 Tempera on Paper Donated by Robert Yarber 1999.002.001 |
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Ireland by Moonlight, 1955 Oil on Linen Board Donated by Robert Yarber 1999.002.007 |
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Untitled Vessel, 1948 Tempera on Paper Donated by David and Sharon Cammarano Collection 2002.002.001 |
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Hedgegrow Animal, 1954 Graphite on Board Donated byDavid and Sharon Cammarano Collection 2002.002.002 |
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Homemade Painting of a Homemade Bouquet of Sand Dune Daisies in a Homemade Vase,1982 Acrylic on Japanese Paper Donated by the Students of Pacific Dunes High School |
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Owl on Globe, c. 1965 Tempera on Paper Donated by Lewis Nash 2004.001.000 |
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Ganders, 1955 Print Reproduction Donated by Robert Yarber 2001.007.001 |
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Insects, 1957 Print Reproduction Donated by Robert Yarber 2001.007.002 |
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Hibernation (#1),1954 Print Reproduction Donated by Robert Yarber 2001.007.003 |
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Hibernation (#2), 1954 Print Reproduction Donated by Robert Yarber 2001.007.004 |
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Bird Experiencing Light, 1969 Print Reproduction Donated by Robert Yarber 2001.007.005 |
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Machine Age Noise, 1957 Print Reproduction Donated by Robert Yarber 2001.007.006 |
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Irish Fauna, 1954 Print Reproduction Donated by Robert Yarber 2001.007.007 |
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Spirit Bird, 1954 Print Reproduction Donated by Robert Yarber 2001.007.008 |
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Shore Birds, 1939 Print Reproduction Donated by Robert Yarber 2001.007.009 |
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Emergence, 1944 Print Reproduction Donated by Robert Yarber 2001.007.010 |
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Owl, 1943 Print Reproduction Donated by Robert Yarber 2001.007.011 |
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Bird Calling Down a Hole, 1950 Print Reproduction Donated by Robert Yarber 2001.007.012 |
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Journey, 1943 Print Reproduction Donated by Robert Yarber 2001.007.013 |
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Screaming Laughter Cup, 1939 Print Reproduction Donated by Robert Yarber 2001.007.014 |
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Tree Frog, 1940 Print Reproduction Donated by Robert Yarber 2001.007.015 |
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Bird, 1950 Print Reproduction Donated by Robert Yarber 2001.007.016 |
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The Circle Void, 1970 Print Reproduction Donated by Robert Yarber 2001.007.017 |
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Bird with Possessions, 1943 Print Reproduction Donated by Robert Yarber 2001.007.018 |
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Star of the Mandala, 1970 Print Reproduction Donated by Robert Yarber 2001.007.019 |
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Goose and Gander, 1955 Print Reproduction Donated by Robert Yarber 2001.007.020 |
