"Sunlit Diner" by Frank Kocian Morris

* Original oil painting on canvas //   Estimated value = $1,600

* Total dimensions (unframed) = 11 x 13 inches

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Artist Bio

A native of Memphis, Frank Morris began private training at an early age in the atelier of noted painter Paul Penczner. He went on to earn a fine arts degree with honors from The University of Memphis. He continued his Post Baccalaureate studies at the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, California. While living in Pasadena, he spent several years of his early career creating a variety of artwork for the movie and record industry.  The next step was a move to New York City where he worked for many years as an illustrator and designer. He continued to perfect his craft, at several famous art schools such as The Art Students League and The New York Academy of Art. With this wealth of professional experience and artistic training,  Frank Morris quite naturally evolved into one of the premier portrait artists in America.  Over time, the artist has also enjoyed passing on his knowledge of painting by teaching at The School of Visual Art & Design in New York City, The Memphis College of Art, and private lessons in his Atelier.

His work hangs in private collections and corporate board rooms, and his paintings have been reproduced in magazines such as Newsweek and New York Magazine, where he was asked to paint luminaries such as Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter, First Ladies Nancy Reagan and Rosalynn Carter, Hamilton Jordan and the Shah of Iran. In Memphis, his official portrait of Former Mayor Dick Hackett hangs in the gallery at City Hall.

In addition to his portrait work, Frank is contracted by the US Department of the Treasury as a Master Designer for the US Mint. There, he is responsible for creating designs for multiple American circulating coins, including Congressional medals, and Presidential medals. Recent designs selected by the US Mint include Three Congressional Medals to honor the Native American Code-talkers of World War I & II, as well as, three Gold Collector Coins that honor First Ladies Caroline Harrison, Ellen Wilson & Grace Coolidge. They were the spouses of our 23, 28th, and 30th Presidents of The United States.

While living in New York was asked to produce Artistic Designs for Best Selling authors such as Anne Rice, John Updike, John LeCarre, David Brinkley, Walter Cronkite, Salmon Rushdie, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, John Berendt, Camille Paglia, P. J. O'Rourke, Peter Mayle, Toni Morrison, Julia Child, Lauren Bacall, Scott Turow, Cormac McCarthy, Elie Wiesel & Michael Crichton.