Artist Gail Morton to relate stories of the history behind some of her work

Telling stories is a part of our daily life in so many ways.   Newspapers are filled with stories, social media is all stories and so much more.  Another way of telling stories is through artwork.  A master artist and storyteller will  tell very interesting stories at  Museum Moments on Thursday, September 18, 12 noon at the Union County Heritage Museum in New Albany.

Gail Morton of Thaxton, teaching artist, has created a body of work telling some of the many stories of Pontotoc Clairvoyant Seymore Prater as well as a body of work reflecting the plight and telling the stories of homelessness through portraiture and more.

A graduate of Ole Miss, Morton had a career teaching art at North Pontotoc High School.  After retirement she has  created art through ceramics, oil painting and other mediums. She is an artist on the Mississippi Arts Council’s Artist Roster and she works with adult and children’s programming and art programs throughout  Mississippi, including the Union County Heritage Museum.

One of the interesting stories she tells is that of the history of Seymore Prater. Known throughout Mississippi in the 1930s and 40s for his ability to “see” where items had been lost as well as other abilities,  Morton has gathered stories and created pieces of work related to the interesting clairvoyant.

“The Thief,” part of a Gaily Morton series about Pontotoc Co. clairvoyant Seymour Prater.

She will relate some of those stories and show her associated artwork on Thursday, September 18, 12 noon.  The Museum Guild will provide a light lunch beginning at 11:30.  The event is sponsored by the Mississippi Arts Commission and the museum’s Community Partners.  This is part of the community’s Literary Fest.

The museum is located at 114 Cleveland. , New Albany. For more information call 662-538-0014 or email at uchm@ucheritagemuseum.com.

Jill Smith, Director