Guam-American Pacific

 The leap of the sword of Light Foot who made the blood stones and the protection of the Green Lady play the ballad that I am Clan Morrison. The dust of pastel chalk bound with hair spray and the hard, ruff nature of water color paper sing to the wind that I am an artist. American Oceana is best expressed in Guam. It has a stable economy and a great rugby team with a extraordinarily large military base. The principal during my last year in high school was stationed in was station in Guam where his wife taught at the gigantic Christian school. The name Guam either means “we have” or “valued place.” It was owned by Spain and was an important port of call between Mexico and the Philippines but after Mexico’s independence lost importance. America received the island because of the Spanish American War but did not develop the Island until after World War II.  The native population like Saipan is Chamorro and Japanese.  Its major production still is rice. I have a French Knife.

Guam has a very special mythology. The petro glyph of two kissing behind everything on the right-side is Puntan Dos Amantes. The story goes that two lovers were drawn apart because her father arranged her marriage with a Spanish captain. It is said that two lovers tied their hair together and jumped off this cliff rather than the girl marring a Spaniard.  The pillar and capstone behind everything on the left is the Latte of Freedom.  It was started for America’s bicentennial but lacked funding. It was revised in 2004 and finished in 2010. Lattes were the foundation for Chamorro traditional houses. Everything is on the Guam flag. The tree in the center is from Hagatna Boat Basin Channel. The submarine is a Ha. 62-76 Japanese Midget Attack Submarine which grounded itself on Togcha Beach in 1944 and rests in the War in the Pacific National Historical Park. The lady on the sub is Sirena from Agana whose bottom half turned into a fish do to her mother’s curse but whose top half was protected by her godmother. The cannon is from the Fort Nuestra Señora de la Soledåd which overlooks Umatac Bay.  The most recognizable part of the fort is the guard house. It is 9” x 12,” drawn with pencil and white chalk and completed recently.

 The name of this piece is Seeking Coolness, is 9” x 12” and drawn with Sumi-e recently. The name is a translation of the Japanese proverb for the summer. The flower is a western iris. If you are interested in buying this or any other of my work email me at MatthewMorrison76@yahoo.com to order.