Betty Ann Morris

Betty Ann Morris

Betty Ann was a neighbor when I lived in Newport before retiring to Florida.  She ran a gallery that was catty corner with my office and we would often chat through the day.   In addition to her body of work - she also taught me about what I will call "commercial miniatures".  Tourists would spend a lot of time in her gallery - but a profitable sale of a big painting to make a living from was rare.  

But she had a trick up her sleeve.  In her spare moments she would literally CRANK out miniatures.  Using up paint on her palette and producing small boats on a dab of harbor water under fleecy clouds.  And as a veteran Marine -  American Flags on the staff.  They were carefully priced to be something a tourist was likely to buy - even if they didn't buy the "big one".  And as soon at the tourist left the gallery with their prized painting - she had replaced it on the wall with another.  Not identical - but - well - pretty similar!

A treasured gift from her when I became a US citizen was one of her miniature flag paintings.

She still paints in her retirement.  You can see her work on her website.