In a poignant tribute, the art world mourns the passing of acclaimed sculptor Derek Morris, who dedicated over 25 years to shaping the next generation of artists at the Norwich University of the Arts. Morris, who died at the age of 85, was a pillar of the British art scene, known for his unwavering commitment to the medium and his ability to inspire students.
Born in Birmingham, Morris grew up in a household steeped in the art of making. His mother, Connie, was a skilled weaver and embroiderer, while his father, Jack, worked as a draftsman and pattern maker for decorative sculptures. This early exposure to the creative process laid the foundation for Morris’s own artistic journey, which began with him mixing his first batch of plaster at the tender age of six.
After earning a first-class fine art degree from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne and a Hatton Scholarship, Morris went on to study at the Chelsea School of Art and Newcastle University, before embarking on his teaching career at the Norwich School of Art in 1966. It was here that he truly made his mark, serving as the sculpture course leader from 1971 and helping to elevate the school’s reputation as a premier destination for art students in the 1980s.
“Derek’s success as head of the course was his promotion of the attitude that sculptural ideas need to be based on an extensive knowledge of materials and processes,” said Martin Holman, a close friend and colleague. “It was an approach manifest in his own work as a sculptor, and one which he was able to put into practice more determinedly once he had retired from teaching.”
Indeed, upon retirement in 1990, Morris threw himself back into his own sculptural work, exhibiting regularly across East Anglia and finding joy in the act of creating. He also became an accomplished gardener and cook, even winning a runner-up slot in an Observer newspaper cookery competition in 1992 and a regional semi-final of the BBC’s MasterChef series in 1995.
In addition to his artistic and culinary pursuits, Morris served as the president of the Royal British Society of Sculptors (now the Royal Society of Sculptors) from 1998 to 2004, helping to increase the organization’s international reach and membership.
“Derek is survived by his wife, Christina, and their children, Abigail, Nathan, Simeon and Lucy, as well as his grandchildren, Ottilie, Rufus and Agatha,” Holman said. “His legacy as a beloved teacher, respected sculptor, and dedicated family man will continue to inspire and influence the art world for generations to come.”
