Simon Morris Video, Sculptor

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Poseidon Memorial Reef

A British-born Canadian Citizen, Simon lived and sculpted on Saltspring Island in British Columbia for thirty years, now based on Vancouver Island. He was inducted as a Signature Member of the Artists for Conservation Foundation in February 2020 and as a Member, College of fellows, The Royal Canadian Geographic Society in October 2021. He is the creator of the two nine-foot tall underwater bronze mermaids, "The Emerald Princess" in Mermaid Cove, in Saltery Bay near Powell River, British Columbia, and "Amphitrite" at Sunset House Grand Cayman, as well as "The Guardian of the Reef" placed underwater at Divetech resort in West Bay, Grand Cayman. Simon has also worked concurrently in the diving industry since 1973 for many of the major companies, including GM at SCUBAPRO Canada, International Product Development Manager for SCUBPRO, and VP Product Development Manager for BARE. Currently Sales Manager for Shearwater Research Inc.

Large Installations:

1989 Powell River, BC - “The Emerald Princess” - nine foot (3m) bronze mermaid placed 60 feet underwater for scuba tourism and environmental awareness.

Commissioned by DIVE BC - View In Website

2000 Grand Cayman, BWI - “Amphitrite” - nine foot (3m) bronze mermaid placed 50 feet underwater for scuba tourism and environmental awareness.

Commissioned by Sunset House Resort - View In Website

2003 Georgetown, Grand Cayman, BWI - “Tradition” - two life size figures unveiled by His Royal Highness, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, on the Quintecentennial Anniversary of the discovery of the Cayman Islands by Columbus, in memoriam to the nearly 500 Caymanian souls lost at sea recorded since 1792.

Commissioned by The Caymanian Mariners' Memorial Society, Bob Soto, CBE. - View In Website

2005 Gulf Islands, British Columbia - “After the Potlatch” - Life size figure of a First Nations Chief installed on a rocky beach on private property.

Private Commission - View In Website

2006 Vancouver, British Columbia - “Henry Larsen” - Life size figure of RCMP Sgt. Henry Larsen, master of the RCMP Vessel St. Roch during the crossing of the North-West Passage, 1942-44

Commissioned by The Vancouver Maritime Museum. Installed and unveiled on the Port foredeck of the RCMP Vessel St. Roch in July, 2006 - View In Website

2014 Grand Cayman BWI - “The Guardian of the Reef” - 13 foot tall mythical figure, half man half seahorse installed in 70 feet of water at Divetech, in West Bay to promote environmental awareness. Funds raised by divers' donations to support activities of the “West Bay Warriors”, a group formed to educate at-risk Caymanian youth in the value of the marine environment.

Commissioned by Divetech - View In Website

Sculptural awards: (sculptures by Simon presented to award recipients)

1992 Toronto Underwater Canada presents “Ocean Flight” to Douglas Rosser as recipient of the Canadian National Underwater Achievement Award.
1996 Vancouver Underwater Society of British Columbia presents “Solitude” to Jim Willoughby as the inaugural recipient of the “Ocean Pioneer Award”.
2000 Vancouver Underwater Society of British Columbia presents “Solitude” to Dr. Phil Nyutten as the second recipient of the “Ocean Pioneer Award”.
2004 Vancouver Underwater Society of British Columbia presents “Solitude” to Dr. Michael Lepawski, Director, Vancouver Hyperbaric Medicine, as the third recipient of the “Ocean Pioneer Award”.
2004 Vancouver Canadian Association of Freediving and Apnea (CAFA) presents “Apnea” to winner of the Association for the International Development of Apnea (AIDA) World Free Diving Championships held in Vancouver, August 2004.

Societies:

Royal Canadian Geographic Society - October, 2021 Inducted as Member, College of Fellows

Artists For Conservation Foundation - Signature Member, February 2020

Ocean Artists Society, October, 2003 Orlando, Florida - Inducted as an inaugural member

Arts & Cultural Highway of British Columbia - Member

Oceans 2000 - Member (a group of leadership level sponsors of the Ocean Futures Foundation)

Shows by Invitation:

2001 DEMA Show New Orleans - Featured Artist (Diving Equipment and Marketing Association)
2001 28th World Festival of Underwater Pictures at Antibes-Juan-Les-Pins, France Invited & displayed as Representative of Canadian Marine Art
2002 Our World Underwater Chicago - Artist and Featured Speaker
2002 DEMA Show Las Vegas - Featured Artist with Wyland
2002 Comox Underwater Film Festival - Featured Artist & Master of Ceremonies
2003 DEMA Show Miami - Featured Artist with Wyland and Ocean Artists Society
2004 Vancouver Aquarium “Dive 2004” - Featured Artist
2004 DEMA Show Houston - Featured Artist
2013 DEMA Show Orlando - for unveiling of “The Guardian of the Reef”

Awards:

1990 Toronto Recipient of Canadian National Underwater Achievement Award, presented by Underwater Canada
1990 Vancouver Recipient of Appreciation Award presented by SCUBA Diving Association of British Columbia (Both regarding the installation of the Mermaid in Powell River)

Collections:

Represented internationally by corporate & individual collectors in Argentinian Patagonia, Belgium, Canada, England, France, Grand Cayman, Kuwait, Mexico, Taiwan, Thailand, & USA including Hawaii

Professional Association of Underwater Instructors - PADI

Commissioned life-size busts of the founders, John Cronin and Ralph Erickson, installed at PADI Founders' hall, Santa Anna, California View In Website

Support for non-profit organizations:

Simon has raised funds through the sale, donation and auction of his work for the following organizations:

The Ocean Futures Foundation

PADI PROJECT A.W.A.R.E (Aquatic World Awareness Responsibility Education)

Sea Save Foundation

Marine Life Sanctuaries Society, British Columbia

OceanWise (Vancouver Aquarium)

Cayman Magic Reef Recovery

The Shark Research Institute

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation

The Canadian Cancer Foundation

Artspring (Center for Performing Arts, Saltspring Island, British Columbia)

Media Representation:

Simon's work has been featured in local, national and international media as follows:

BCTV, CITY TV & CTV (Canadian Television Networks)

Base2 Media (ongoing video documentary)

Diver Magazine (Canada)

Diver Magazine (England)

DiverNewsWire

Northwest Dive News Magazine

Oktonyk (”Octopus”) Magazine (Russia)

Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine

Skin Diver Magazine

Tauchen (Diving) Magazine (Germany)

The Cayman Compass Newspaper

The New Yorker Magazine

The Undersea Journal Magazine

Vancouver Sun Newspaper