M Morgan Warren Artist's Statement

The focus of my work has changed slightly over the past few years: whereas I used to concentrate on my subject to the exclusion of most of the background, I now like to include the environment of the bird or animal I am painting.Because I use watercolour exclusively, this means employing wet-into-wet technique for some of my background, as opposed to using drybrush for the subject.

I find watercolour a very pleasing medium. There is a delicacy and purity to it, and, moreso than working with oils, fine detail is easy to achieve. Colours can be bright and bold, or soft and subtle. Unlike acrylics, they may also be "worked". Care and knowledge must be used when "lifting" pigments, but I find working through a painting a fascinating process.

An idea for a piece of my art is born when something visual pleases me and I see the opportunity to tell a story. It may be a backdrop which I find exciting, in which case I would search for an appropriate subject, or vice-versa. For my next uncommissioned painting, I want to depict a bald eagle. I have found a beautiful setting for my bird, so now it is just a matter of how I want to portray the eagle.

Very often in my work, I like to show the viewer a moment which would rarely be seen by human eyes: e.g. a pair of spotted owls sheltering together under a snowy branch, or a fox family frisking in a bluebell meadow. What I wish to say is: we are all one huge, related family be we human, owl or fox. We have more similarities than differences; we are the stewards of this world, not the owners.

- M. Morgan Warren
Canoe Cove marina,
August 12^th, 2010