Morton’s paintings consist primarily of anthropomorphic creatures presented in landscapes where aspects of the real world are taken out of context in order to question a new significance in an alternate natural world. Small spotlighted groups express themes of light, colour and landscape; dark and socio-political; and subconscious driven imagery. Inspired by the imaginary, poetic and spontaneous nature of painting, he is interested in how symbolism has changed over time to take on a new life in a contemporary context. Influences are garnered from a variety of sources including fables, fairytales, mythology, folklore, film, news clippings, video games, lyrics, internet, Turner, Goya and Odilon Redon. 

The process of layering, scrubbing and an intuitive use of ‘automatic’ painting suggests forms which are also incorporated, often creating a child-like use of space or an inherent naivety where the work shifts between figuration and semi-abstraction. Each layer leaves a physical trace so that the canvas becomes increasingly textured, but fragments also fade as landscapes evolve and compositions shift with even the main subject open to change.

Ally Morton lives and works in Newcastle upon Tyne. He graduated from Northumbria University in 2009.

Exhibitions include ‘New Lights’, Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate, 2011; ‘Unfinished Business’, Wallington Hall, Northumberland, 2011; ‘Fade Away’, Gallery North, Newcastle upon Tyne, 2011; ‘Moving Gallery Group Show’, Moving Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne, 2011; The Sleeper/Alchemy’, Moving Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne, 2010; ‘Artworks open 2010’, Barbican Arts Group Trust, London, 2010; and ‘Art just got interesting’, Empty Shop, Durham, 2010.


(Text from Cathy Lomax, Alli Sharma, Barry Schwabsky, Helen Baker (2011) ‘About Painting: Working Against The System and Fade Away’, pp. 147 – 148, UK: Transition Editions) 

(Exhibitions list updated from original text September 2011)