Jim Morreau was born in Richmond, KY in 1955. As a youth, he grew up in Charleston, SC, where he received private art instruction. His family later returned to Kentucky, where Jim has lived since 1970 and practiced law for 25 years. Jim has had an affinity for art his whole life. In the fall of 2006, Jim decided to leave the practice of law and pursue a full time art career. His work has been accepted into numerous juried art shows, in Kentucky, Michigan, Cincinnati and Chicago, where his paintings have sold well.

Artist’s Statement

Jim's style ranges from logical and analytical to mystic and spiritual, no doubt influenced by his background in law and his interest in religion and philosophy (in which he also has a degree). "In my landscape paintings my aim is to capture the emotion and spiritual element of a scene that appeal to me in some way. It may be the way the light falls, a dramatic sky, sparkling water reflections, the rugged texture of rocks, or the rhythm of hills or mountains. I want the viewer to feel the same type of emotional and spiritual connection with the painting that attracted me to the scene in the first place. My Tiles series, by contrast, is purely about exploring texture, color and abstract shapes in as many ways as I can conjure up. My works juxtapose these elements in various ways, to play one off the other. Determining the arrangement of shapes, colors and the materials that I will use to create texture is like assembling a jigsaw puzzle. It appeals to my logical and analytical side. There is a certain "yin and yang" that moves me back and forth between the emotional, spiritual landscapes and the more analytical paintings."

Juried Art Shows - 2008

Barefoot in the Park - Atlanta, April 19 - 20, 2008
Art in the Arbor - Louisville, KY, May 10-11, 2008
Promenade of Art - Arlington Heights, IL (Chicago), May 31 - June 1, 2008
Cantigny Fine Art Festival - Whaeton, IL (Chicago area), June 14 - 15, 2008
Francisco's Farm Arts Festival - Midway, KY, June 21 - 22, 2008
Joliet Fine Art Festival - Joliet, Il (Chicago area), June 28-29, 2008
Lincolnshire Art Festival - Lincolnshire, IL (Chicago), July 12 - 13, 2008
Wheaton Fine Art Fair - Wheaton, IL (Chicago area), July 18 - 20, 2008
Lakefront Art Festival - Michigan City, IN, Aug 15 - 17, 2008
Upper Arlington Labor Day Festival - Upper Arlington, OH, Sept 1, 2008

Exhibitions

One-man exhibition, Kruger, Schwartz Attorneys, March 2006
Kentucky Watercolor Society, New Member Show Jan 7 – Feb 4, 2006
Lexington Art League, Art Fever, Sept 15 - Oct 13, 2007
Holiday Show, Oxmoor Country Club, Dec 2-3, 2007

Private Collections

Kruger, Schwartz Attorneys
Individual collectors in Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Georgia, Alabama, New York and Chicago

Art Organization Memberships

Arts Kentucky
Chicago Artists' Coalition
Kentucky Arts Council
Kentucky Watercolor Society
National Watercolor Society