Larry Morez

Larry Morez



Larry Morez

Larry Morez is deceased, but his legacy remains in the abundance of art he left to the world.  The photograph-like realism of his art will immediately transport viewers to local Kona haunts such as 'Magic Sands' aka La'aloa Beach Park.  Gupton Gallery is both fortunate and proud to display many of his works as conservation editions.  The conservator is donating a portion of the profits from the sale of Mr. Morez' works to benefit local Veterans.

Larry Morez was born in Chicago, Illinois, on January 23, 1943. He grew up in Greco-American family with long artistic tradition. His parents painted and were professional dancers; his two older brothers paint as well.

Mr. Morez’ mother was fond of saying that Larry was born with a pencil in his hand. That early passion for art grew into a lifelong obsession with practice and regular visits to the Chicago Art Institute.

In 1952, Morez family drove cross country to Los Angeles, California. Later, Mr. Morez lived in Santa Barbara before coming to San Francisco in 1982.

Mr. Morez received his formal art education at the Chouinard Art Institute, Otis Art Institute and Art Center School in Los Angeles. He also studied with many painting and drawing masters including Lorser Feidelson, Rico Le Brun, Donald Grahman, Herbert jepson, and Edward Reep, to name a few.

Drafted in 1964, Morez was sent to Vietnam in 1965. An MP, he patrolled the Mekong River (the river of the nine dragons) ,and the Saigon River and harbor on board anything that could float, from tugboats to freighters.

The harbor assignment gave SPC4 Morez access to Saigon City where he attended and taught life drawing classes at the Saigon Art Museum.

In1993, Larry Morez returned to Saigon, Bangkok and other old haunts both for emotional closure and to obtain fresh material for a new series of paintings he planned to do. Completed in 1994, that series became known as the Saigon Suite.

Although painting is Mr. Morez’ most frequently exercised discipline, he also is a master at life drawing, pastels, sculpture and printmaking.