H.e. Morris is originally from upstate New York living and working in the UK. H.e. is currently working towards a practice based PhD in Art and Art History at Newcastle University where her research focus is on a question of emotion: Looking at painting today and how emotion informs subjective narratives and individual expression of the self through aesthetic trends in contemporary painting. Most recently she was a fellow at The Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown Massachusetts, a year long award that gives artists a studio, home and stipend in the USA. H.e. has a Masters in contemporary art theory from Goldsmiths University (UK), an MFA/MA from The University of Iowa( USA), and a BA from Hampshire College(USA). She has exhibited internationally including, TwoQueens in Leicester, Provincetown Museum of Art, Hub67 Hackney Wick to name a few. She is currently a tutor on the BA and MFA Fine Art courses at Newcastle University, and is working towards opening her own project space with her partner in Leicester called Broom Projects.
Can you tell me about your practice? How do you get started on a piece of work?
I usually get started with a big fat piece of charcoal, I stare at the empty canvas admiring its shape and size and then work up the nerve to create a disruption. It’s nothing specific, just a movement of the body and a pressure of material onto the canvas, I stand back and then can begin to see the story I'm trying to pull forward.
Who are your biggest influences?
I would have to say my parents because they work harder than anyone I know, beyond that it's hard to narrow it down to a few. The ones on my mind now, Käthe Kollwitz, Madge Gill, moondog, de Kooning, Lee Lozarno, Kerry James Marshall, Huma Bhabha, Magritte, Artemisia Gentileschi, and Mother Goose.
The past and the present are narratives that are central to your work, can you elaborate on this?
Yes, I work from both my memory and through anxieties and fears I may have about my future. An example of this would be a theme I have been working through now motherhood and the desire to have a child but the fear of not knowing when or how I can make that happen, as I trace the effect of time on my body and the realities of climate change.
How important is the choice of material in relation to realizing the concept of your work?
The material is important as I love the fluid, sexy, frustrating properties of oil paint. I have always worked with oil paint since I was about 13 so sometimes I have that amazing feeling like I don’t have to think when I use it and I can disappear into the work. I need to know my material well enough where I don’t need to worry about it or can manipulate it to function for me.
What is your most important tool?
My imagination.
What book has been important in your practice? And tell us why it’s important.
I recently read Amy Sillman’s Faux Paux (2020) . This was so important for me to read. I always knew Amy was smart but felt inspired to know a painter was reading theory like me and that the two can coexist. I felt really connected to her through her writing about painting. There have been so many books and authors that have influenced me over the years. A constant in my life has been my mother's Elizabeth Brundage work. I love all of her books, her narratives always inspire me to dig deeper into why we act and think the way we do.
Finally, is there anything new coming up that you would like to tell us about?
I am excited to be a part of a group show at the Turner Contemporary in Margate Kent opening in October. You can follow my happenings including a sneak peak into my new big studio on my instagram @hemorris8 or my website hemorris.com. Also stay tuned for the artist run space in Leicester my partner and I are opening, you can follow us @broom_projects and we're looking for amazing artists to show so reach out!
Image Order
Drawing Lines In The Sand Oil On Canvas 47IN X 64IN (120CM X 163CM) 2021
The Consequence And The Catch Oil On Canvas 47IN X 64IN (120CM X 163CM) 2021
Susana Oil On Canvas 36IN X 24IN (92CM X 60XCM) 2021
The Turn Of Spring Oil On Canvas 79IN X 98IN ( 200CM X 248CM) 2021
Tall Tale Oil On Canvas 36IN X 48IN (92CM X 122XM) 2021
Brick By Brick Oil On Canvas 48IN X 60IN (123CM X 153CM) 2021