George Morrison

First Day of Issue Date: April 22, 2022

First Day of Issue Location: Grand Portage, MN

One of the nation’s greatest modernist artists and a founding figure of Native American modernism, George Morrison (1919–2000) challenged prevailing ideas of what Native American art should be, arguing that an artist’s identity can exist independently from the nature of the art he creates. Morrison is best known for his abstract landscapes and monumental wood collages, which draw on childhood memory and reflect a deep and abiding connection with the natural world. The pane of 20 stamps showcases five of Morrison’s abstract landscapes: The first row features Sun and River (1949), watercolor and crayon on paper. The work is part of the collection of the Plains Art Museum. The second row showcases Phenomena Against the Crimson: Lake Superior Landscape (1985), acrylic on canvas. The work is part of the collection of the Minnesota Museum of American Art. In the third row is Lake Superior Landscape (1981), acrylic on canvas. The work is part of the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

Spirit Path, New Day, Red Rock Variation: Lake Superior Landscape (1990), acrylic and pastel on paper, is highlighted in the fourth row. The work is part of the collection of the Minnesota Museum of American Art.

The last row features Untitled (1995), color pencil on paper. The work is part of the collection of Krista and Bill Thorburn.

Throughout his career, Morrison experimented with elements of expressionism, surrealism, and cubism, such as spontaneous composition, simplified geometric forms, and automatic drawing, and was quite comfortable switching between and even combining styles. He worked intuitively, thickly applying paint with a brush, with a palette knife, or directly from the tube, and varying his strokes to create even more texture and movement.

Although Morrison’s art seems entirely spontaneous, each work has been carefully organized. Many of his works feature a prominent horizon line inspired, consciously and subconsciously, by his childhood on the shore of Lake Superior. Representing the space where sky and water meet, the horizon line also marks the boundary between known and unknown, a mystery that Morrison repeatedly explored even as he continued to refine his modernist vision.

Antonio Alcalá served as art director and designer for this stamp pane.

The George Morrison stamps are being issued as Forever® stamps. These Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce price.

First Day of Issue Ceremony Video

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Sheet of 20 Stamps

Adorn your envelopes with colorful, abstract landscapes from one of the nation’s greatest artists. With his distinctive modernist style, George Morrison challenged ideas of what Native American art should be.

$12.60

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First Day Cover

Celebrate a groundbreaking Native American artist with this new set of five George Morrison First Day Covers. Each #6 ¾ envelope bears one affixed Forever® stamp cancelled with an official First Day of Issue postmark.

One of the nation’s greatest modernist artists, George Morrison challenged ideas of what Native American art should be. The stamps showcase five of his abstract landscapes.

The pictorial postmark features a mosaic of shapes inspired by Morrison’s artwork. Also included is the stamp title, as well as the date and location of stamp issuance: April 22, 2022, Grand Portage, MN, 55605.

$5.65

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Digital Color Postmark First Day Cover

Celebrate a groundbreaking Native American artist with this new set of five George Morrison Digital Color Postmark First Day Covers. Each #6 ¾ envelope bears one affixed Forever® stamp cancelled with an official First Day of Issue postmark.

One of the nation’s greatest modernist artists, George Morrison challenged ideas of what Native American art should be. The stamps showcase five of his abstract landscapes.

The digital color postmark evokes the colorful, abstract shapes found in Morrison’s artwork. Also included is the stamp title, as well as the date and location of stamp issuance: April 22, 2022, Grand Portage, MN, 55605.

$9.90

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Press Sheet with Die-Cuts

Celebrate a groundbreaking Native American artist with this new 25(w) x 21.61(h)-inch press sheet, containing nine sheets of George Morrison Forever® stamps positioned three across by three down.

One of the nation’s greatest modernist artists, George Morrison challenged ideas of what Native American art should be. The stamps showcase five of his abstract landscapes.

$113.40

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Press Sheet without Die-Cuts

Celebrate a groundbreaking Native American artist with this new 25(w) x 21.61(h)-inch press sheet, containing nine sheets of George Morrison Forever® stamps positioned three across by three down.*

One of the nation’s greatest modernist artists, George Morrison challenged ideas of what Native American art should be. The stamps showcase five of his abstract landscapes.

*The stamps on these sheets do not contain perforations for mail use.

$113.40

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Framed Stamps - Lake Superior Landscape

Celebrate a groundbreaking Native American artist with this new 15.5(w) x 12.5(h)-inch framed piece, which features the art from the George Morrison (Lake Superior Landscape) stamp, plus a strip of five mounted Forever® stamps and the First Day of Issue details.

One of the nation’s greatest modernist artists, George Morrison challenged ideas of what Native American art should be. The stamps showcase five of his abstract landscapes.

Presented in a classic black frame, the piece also includes a clear dust cover, protective felt bumpers, and a sawtooth hanger on the back for easy display.

$39.95

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Framed Stamps - Sun and River

Celebrate a groundbreaking Native American artist with this new 15.5(w) x 12.5(h)-inch framed piece, which features the art from the George Morrison (Sun and River) stamp, plus a strip of five mounted Forever® stamps and the First Day of Issue details.

One of the nation’s greatest modernist artists, George Morrison challenged ideas of what Native American art should be. The stamps showcase five of his abstract landscapes.

Presented in a classic black frame, the piece also includes a clear dust cover, protective felt bumpers, and a sawtooth hanger on the back for easy display.

$39.95

Purchase

Framed Stamps - Untitled

Celebrate a groundbreaking Native American artist with this new 15.5(w) x 12.5(h)-inch framed piece, which features the art from the George Morrison (Untitled) stamp, plus a strip of five mounted Forever® stamps and the First Day of Issue details.

One of the nation’s greatest modernist artists, George Morrison challenged ideas of what Native American art should be. The stamps showcase five of his abstract landscapes.

Presented in a classic black frame, the piece also includes a clear dust cover, protective felt bumpers, and a sawtooth hanger on the back for easy display.

$39.95

Purchase

Framed Stamps - Phenomena Against the Crimson

Celebrate a groundbreaking Native American artist with this new 15.5(w) x 12.5(h)-inch framed piece, which features the art from the George Morrison (Phenomena Against the Crimson: Lake Superior Landscape) stamp, plus a strip of five mounted Forever® stamps and the First Day of Issue details.

One of the nation’s greatest modernist artists, George Morrison challenged ideas of what Native American art should be. The stamps showcase five of his abstract landscapes.

Presented in a classic black frame, the piece also includes a clear dust cover, protective felt bumpers, and a sawtooth hanger on the back for easy display.

$39.95

Purchase

Framed Stamp - Spirit, Path, New Day, Red Rock Variation

Celebrate a groundbreaking Native American artist with this new 15.5(w) x 12.5(h)-inch framed piece, which features the art from the George Morrison (Spirit Path, New Day, Red Rock Variation: Lake Superior Landscape) stamp, plus a strip of five mounted Forever® stamps and the First Day of Issue details.

One of the nation’s greatest modernist artists, George Morrison challenged ideas of what Native American art should be. The stamps showcase five of his abstract landscapes.

Presented in a classic black frame, the piece also includes a clear dust cover, protective felt bumpers, and a sawtooth hanger on the back for easy display.

$39.95

Purchase

Stamp Ceremony Memento

Celebrate a groundbreaking Native American artist with this new George Morrison Stamp Ceremony Memento.

This new collectible contains the First Day of Issue Ceremony Invitation, the First Day of Issue Ceremony Program, five Digital Color Postmark First Day Covers, and a pane of 20 George Morrison Forever® stamps.

One of the nation’s greatest modernist artists, George Morrison challenged ideas of what Native American art should be. The stamps showcase five of his abstract landscapes.

$35.95

Purchase

Notecards

Delight in the distinctive style of groundbreaking artist George Morrison, whose abstract landscapes challenged ideas of what Native American art should be.

The set includes ten notecards (two each of five colorful designs), ten envelopes, and ten George Morrison Forever® stamps. The inside of each card is blank, for you to hand-craft a message to your loved ones.

$20.95

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American Commemorative Panel

Celebrate a groundbreaking Native American artist with this new American Commemorative Panel. This 8 ½ x 11 ¼-inch panel, printed on sturdy card stock, features an image of George Morrison and includes a narrative about a founding figure of Native American modernism.

The collectible panel is accompanied by a strip of five George Morrison Forever® stamps in a protective acetate mount.

The panel features an intaglio-printed component designed specifically for the American Commemorative Panels® program.

Quantities are limited.

$11.95

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Native American Modernist Artist George Morrison Memorialized on New Forever Stamps

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George Morrison

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