Susan Elva Douglas Morrison was born on April 29, 1942, in San Diego, California.
Morrison moved to Arkansas in the early 1960s. She later moved to New Orleans, where she was a member of a flamenco dance troupe. Morrison worked for political campaigns and was instrumental in expanding and creating new environmental programs for Jean Lafitte National Park. By 1973 she had relocated to Colcord, Oklahoma, and started to sell her artwork locally.
Morrison moved to Eureka Springs, Arkansas, in 1979 and displayed art in the lobby of the Basin Springs Hotel before opening her own gallery in 1982. In 2016 she moved her studio and gallery to Heronswood Wildlife Sanctuary outside of Eureka Springs.
Morrison received an Arkansas Governor's Arts Lifetime Achievement award from David Pryor in 2000.
Morrison's notable works include American Expeditions, Arkansas Wildlife, and Animal Tracks, an environmental-awareness poster series and book commissioned by Walmart. Her work has been exhibited at Crystal Bridges, the National Museum of Women in Arts, and the White House.
Susan Elva Douglas Morrison passed away on July 1, 2023.
#1: Composite image of early photo of Susan Morrison and still frame from Pryor Center video interview
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#2: Susan Morrison's maternal great-great-grandfather with her grandmother, Nellie Bly Jones Bollenbacher, ca. 1870s
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#3: Susan Morrison's aunts: (l-r) Ellen Ruby Jones, Katherina Emma Bollenbacher, and Elva Charlotte Bollenbacher; and her mother, Georgia Annette Bollenbacher
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#4: Susan Morrison's mother, Georgia Annette Bollenbacher, holding her little brother, who died of scarlet fever
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#5: Susan Morrison's mother, Georgia Bollenbacher, as a teenager
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#6: Susan Morrison's mother, Georgia Bollenbacher, with stringer of fish
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#7: Susan Morrison's father, George Douglas, in college graduation photo; 1940
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#8: Susan Morrison's relatives: (l-r, standing) Nellie Bly Jones Bollenbacher; mother, Georgia Annette Bollenbacher Douglas; (l-r, seated) great-grandmother, Ada Jones; and sister, Karen Amelia Douglas, at the Jones house on Nettleship St., Fayetteville, Arkansas, ca. 1940
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#9: Susan Morrison's family (l-r): grandmother, Nellie Bly Jones Bollenbacher; mother, Georgia Annette Bollenbacher Douglas; sister, Karen Amelia Douglas; and grandfather, Anton Bollenbacher, at the home of Martha Cupps; Cocoran, California, September 1941
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#10: Susan Douglas (Morrison) at 20 days old with her mother, Georgia Douglas, and sister, Karen, at their home; San Diego, California, May 18, 1942
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#11: Susan Douglas (Morrison) as an infant with (l-r) her sister, Karen; father, George; and mother, Georgia; 1942
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#12: Susan Douglas (Morrison) as an infant; San Diego, Californina, November 1942
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#13: Susan Douglas (Morrison) at 9 months with her mother, Georgia, and sister, Karen, 1942
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#14: Susan Douglas (Morrison) with her grandparents, Nellie and Anton Bollenbacher, 1943
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#15: Susan Douglas (Morrison) (center) with (l-r) her father, George; grandfather, Anton Bollenbacher; sister, Karen; and mother, Georgia
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#16: Susan Morrison (left) with her grandfather, Anton Bollenbacher, and her sister, Karen
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#17: Susan Douglas (Morrison) (left) with her sister, Karen, and mother, Georgia; Fayetteville, Arkansas, April 20, 1946
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#18: Susan Douglas (Morrison) (front right) with (l-r) her sister, Ellen Jane; mother, Georgia Douglas; sister, Karen; and Grandma Douglas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#19: Susan Douglas (Morrison) (on left) at age 5 with her mother, Georgia Douglas, and her sister, Karen, age 7
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#20: Susan Douglas (Morrison)
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#21: Susan Douglas (Morrison) (right) with her sisters, Karen (left), and Ellen (center); Los Angeles, California, Easter 1949
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#22: Susan Morrison's mother, Georgia Bollenbacher Douglas; brother, Andy Douglas; friend, Steve Blood; and dog, Timmy; at Lake Norfolk in Arkansas; July 1952.
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#23: Susan Morrison with her son, Jim, and first husband, David Morrison; 1962
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#24: Susan Morrison at the Dogwood Festival; Siloam Springs, Arkansas, 1973
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#25: Susan Morrison on her farm in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, 1974
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#26: Susan Morrison with her son, Jim, and dog, Honey; Siloam Springs, Arkansas, 1974
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#27: Susan Morrison in her home, Siloam Springs, Arkansas, 1974
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#28: Susan Morrison with her dog, Honey, on her farm; Siloam Springs, Arkansas, March 1974
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#29: Susan Morrison at Flint Creek; Siloam Springs, Arkansas, March 1974
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#30: Susan Morrison, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1976
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#31: Susan Morrison in her gallery, Basin Park Hotel; Eureka Springs, 1979
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#32: Susan Morrison in her studio with Jacqueline Froelich; Eureka Springs, Arkansas, 1980
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#33: Susan Morrison's art gallery, Eureka Springs, Arkansas, 1982
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#34: Susan Morrison, Holiday Island, Arkansas, 1983
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#35: Susan Morrison at Heronswood; Beaver, Arkansas, 1983
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#36: Susan Morrison (center) with her parents, George and Georgia Douglas, Table Rock Lake, Missouri, 1983
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#37: Susan Morrison, Detroit, Michigan, 1987
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#38: Susan Morrison with her artwork, 14 Hands of Freedom, depicting a Spanish mustang named Copper
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#39: Susan Morrison with clouded leopard at the San Diego Zoo; San Diego, California, 1989
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#40: Susan Morrison (second from left) with (l-r) daughter-in-law, Cheryl McBride Morrison; son, Jim Morrison; and second husband, Randy Woodward, at Alice Walton's ranch; Lowell, Arkansas, 1991
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#41: Susan Morrison with students while on tour for her book, Animal Tracks, 1992
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#42: Susan Morrison with works in her Animal Tracks series; National Museum of Women in Art, Washington, DC, 1994
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#43: Susan Morrison with her artwork at Heronswood Studio; Beaver, Arkansas, 1996
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#44: Susan Morrison (second from left) with (l-r) Joy Pennington and Nancy and Dick Trammel after winning the Arkansas Governor's Arts Awards Lifetime Achievement Award from the Governor's Arts Award, 2000
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#45: Susan Morrison (center) with Reed and Mary Ann Greenwood of Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2000
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#46: Susan Morrison's grandchildren (from left) Kelby, Jamey, and Nichole Morrison with their dog, Glicee
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#47: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with Susan Morrison at the Morrison Residence; Beaver, Arkansas, 2021
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#48: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with Susan Morrison at the Morrison Residence; Beaver, Arkansas, 2021
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
