Woodgrain Woodcut, 1976-1978

George Morrison (1919-2000) was a seminal Native American modernist painter and sculptor, celebrated for his profound connection to the natural world, particularly the horizon line of Lake Superior near his Grand Portage, Minnesota home. An enrolled member of the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Morrison navigated the art worlds of Minneapolis, New York City, and Europe, forging a unique path within Abstract Expressionism. While associated with the New York School during the 1950s and 60s, his work retained a distinct focus on landscape, rendered through vibrant paintings, intricate drawings, and his signature large-scale wood collages, often referred to as "wood paintings." Morrison synthesized Abstract Expressionist techniques with his deep sense of place and heritage, exploring themes of identity, nature, and spirituality. He received a Fulbright scholarship to study in Paris and exhibited widely throughout his career, including participation in the Whitney Annuals and later, major retrospectives celebrating his significant contribution to American art. Prominent institutions holding his work include the National Gallery of Art, Washington, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Heard Museum.