Appreciation – Christopher Morley

I am shocked and saddened by the news of Chris Morley’s passing. I am one of the many artists he helped along the way. At a time when my work as a painter vacillated between being a sideline or my livelihood, Chris supported my work in significant ways. He enthusiastically helped to host and promote the Salisbury show that was pivotal in taking my career to a professional level. When I gained representation at a commercial gallery, my first sale was his commission for paintings of his beloved tamarack trees on his property. (Tamaracks became a favorite subject of mine; I’ve made many pictures of them since.) I have never met an art appreciator like him. He collected art with unbridled glee. He began making art himself in recent years. He showed me his first paintings, which were remarkably vital and reinforced my belief that passion trumps technique.My son is one of the children who has benefited immensely from the Falls Village Children’s Theater, to which Chris and his wife, Leone, were important benefactors. They contributed to many cultural organizations, often in anonymity.I hope, in his memory, to let it be known how meaningful such support can be to a burgeoning artist. And to a community. — Karen LeSage, Lakeville