Bennie O. Morrison
Bennie Morrison will paint on anything, large or small. He still lives in the countryside of Oglethorpe County near the farm where he was born and raised. For a while, after finishing his military service, Bennie could be found painting flowers on baskets over and over again in what can best be described as a crafts factory. Bennie always loved to paint, and when that employer went out of business he continued to paint for his own pleasure. He was surprised when people started to purchase his work. Best known for his intricately detailed farm and battle scenes painted on well-worn bricks, he will put the same amount of detail onto a thimble as he will onto a satellite dish. Every painting tells a story. Bennie says that his dream of being an artist has come true: “A smile comes to my face to know that people enjoy my art.”
Oglethorpe County, GA
COTTON PICKING TIME
satellite dish
19" x 21"
acrylic on metal
SOLD
HOUSE & BARN
cinder shovel
5" x 17.5" x 1.5"
acrylic on metal
$135
MA & PA
magnolia leaf
13.5" x 6.5"
acrylic on leaf
SOLD
An early painting by Bennie, dated 9/25/94
WILD RIVER COVERED BRIDGE
25" x 18"
acrylic on board
$260
Bennie presses leaves under stacks of old phonebooks. After he paints them he covers them with polyurethane. Bennies says one of his painted leaves will last forever, "as long as you don't let some kid play with it."
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COTTON & CORN
11.5" x 6"
acrylic on resin
$220
COTTON CROP & CORN
10" diameter
acrylic on pot lid
$230
HOUSE & POND
7" x 6" x 2"
acrylic on broken clay pot
(hangs on wall)
$85
B.J. HENRY'S GRIST MILL
24" x 12"
acrylic on cabinet door
$575
OKEFENOKEE SWAMP BRICK
8"x 4" x 3"
acrylic on brick
$240
This brick is what Bennie calls an "all-around brick" - because the scene and the story continue on all sides of the brick. The flaws and worn places in the old bricks become features in Bennie's landscapes. The many indentations in this one suggested to Bennie that the landscape must be a swamp. Bricks like these are why the artist is often called "Bennie the Brick Man". Click on the images for a closer look.
