About Frank T Morris

Biography

From the age of 7, Frank scoured the countryside around his home in Scotland in search of birds and their nests.

When aged 11 he migrated with his parents to Australia, arriving in Sydney, February 1948, providing him with a vast new world of unfamiliar birds.

His first book, a limited edition, leather bound work on birds of prey was published in 1973. The paintings that formed the illustrations were exhibited at Australian Galleries, Melbourne in April of that year.

Seven more volumes were completed by 1981, however, the demands of ornithological pictures became so restrictive that Frank found his mind seeking other avenues of expression, and in the mid 80s the first steps were taken to paint other than scientific pictures and appeared in a solo exhibition at Holdsworth Galleries, Sydney in July 1987.

This new found freedom saw Frank venture into mythology, love stories and thought provoking works, like the “Four Seasons of Life”. Acceptance of this new work was best realized in a solo exhibition at Caloundra Regional Art Gallery in January 2008.

Birds still feature in 80% of his present work, showing that his love of feathered creatures still holds a warm place in his heart.

Frank was born in 1936 in Scotland, arrived in Australia in 1948 and was granted citizenship in 1982.

After years of battling various illnesses Frank passed away on the 14th of August 2021, one day before his 85th birthday. In the later years Frank’s eye sight deteriorated significantly and he completed his final two detailed artworks Father & Son & Lovers. While there is still more paintings to be added for sale on this site, there is no new original work that will be created. Frank was very satisfied with his accomplishments.

Frank
A recent portrait of the artist by Queensland painter, Belinda Green

Public Gallery Representation

  • A.N.G. Artbank, National Wildlife Collection Canberra
  • N.M.V. Melbourne
  • QVM, Launceston
  • QM Brisbane

In numerous corporate collections and private collections in Australia, USA, UK, Paris, Tokyo, Munich and Amsterdam.

Books

Written and illustrated eight limited edition books on Australian birds from 1973 to 1981.

  • Limited edition 2012 Pittas – Jewel Thrushes of the Old World Tropical & Subtropical Forests.
  • 2013 Birth of the Waratah Bush. 
  • 2014 Brolga’s Dance, Pittas – Handbook to the Jewel Thrushes of the Old World Rainforests, Roger – Observations of the Buff-banded Rail, Morris 1954-2014, Gaydari & the Muddy Water.
  • 2015 Black Swan Lake, Carmen.
  • 2016 A Whale of a Time, Drawings 1978-2016, Around the String & Paint Under My Fingernails

Past Exhibitions

First exhibited 1959 ‘Young Unknown’s’ at the Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne.

Solo Exhibitions

1972 Melbourne University Gallery
1973 Australian Galleries, Melbourne
1975 Australian Galleries, Melbourne
1976 Australian Galleries, Melbourne | John Martin Gallery, Adelaide
1978 Australian Galleries, Melbourne
1980 John Martin Gallery, Adelaide
1981 Australian Galleries, Melbourne
1982 Philip Bacon Gallery, Brisbane | The Upstairs Gallery, Cairns
1983 Australian Galleries, Melbourne
1984 Australian Galleries, Melbourne
1985 Grafton House Gallery, Cairns
1987 Holdsworth Galleries, Sydney
1989 Greenhill Gallery, Perth
1998 White Patch Gallery, Bribie Island
2002 Twin Waters Gallery, Mudjimba
2008 Caloundra Regional Art Gallery, Caloundra