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Mono artist Beckie Morris receives Reed T. Cooper Bursary from Dufferin Arts Council

January 3, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Constance Scrafield

With a mandate to support the growth and development of artists in the Headwaters region, the Reed T. Cooper Bursary is presented annually through the Dufferin Arts Council. The bursary awards $3,000 to a visual artist living in the county, who has been working professionally for at least five years.

This year’s recipient is Mono-based artist Beckie Morris, who admits she almost didn’t apply.

“I applied at the last minute,” Morris laughed. “I knew I just had to shoot my shot.”

She had only recently learned about the award.

Winning the bursary came as a welcome surprise and affirmed her belief in lifelong learning as a working artist.

“I love learning, and in the age of technology, you have to keep learning all the time,” Morris said. “But professional development, especially online, can be expensive, and I have to watch my pennies.”

Morris is particularly eager to expand her skills in projection mapping and advanced 3D modelling. These are tools she already relies on heavily in her creative process. “When I approach a design, I model everything in 3D first,” she explained. “That’s how my brain works. It’s how I see a project before I even start drawing.”

The bursary will help cover the cost of specialized training and software subscriptions – expenses that can be prohibitive for independent artists. Morris notes that many industry-standard tools now operate exclusively on subscription models.

“You never really own the software anymore,” she remarked. “You pay monthly or yearly, and those costs add up quickly. A lot of people are leaving larger companies simply because they can’t afford the subscriptions.”

One of the learning opportunities Morris is excited about is “an advanced online masterclass in the modelling software she uses”, taught by industry professionals working on a much larger scale. She made the point that learning from people who are doing this at the highest level is fascinating, offering her the opportunity to pick up efficient tricks and develop tools that “let you dream bigger.”

She is also part of a small group focused on projection mapping, a discipline she describes as more about software fluency than hardware, explaining, “You can tell a projector that a flat rectangle is actually a ball or a piece of fruit. “That’s where the magic happens.”

This bursary allows her to upgrade to a level of software she could not have afforded before and gives her the chance to explore what’s truly worth paying for and what tools best support her work.

No stranger to juggling projects, Morris worked on multiple productions over the past year, including three Christmas shows.

“I just submitted the application and let it go,” she said. “When I got the call in November, I was thrilled to be recognized as a working artist and to represent Dufferin County.”

Speaking passionately about the importance of art in public spaces and community life, Morris said, “If art isn’t there, you really miss it.” She pointed to Orangeville’s decorated utility boxes as an example.

“There’s such a variety of styles and I really give the town credit for valuing art. It’s a wonderful way to invest in a community.”

Morris and her family recently moved from Orangeville to a more rural home in Mono, a change she describes with enthusiasm. “It’s like living in a forest,” she praised it. “We’re really enjoying the space and the benefits of multigenerational living.”

While rural life comes with challenges, most notably limited broadband access, Morris says the arrangement works well for her family. “I have a shop space downstairs, Sharyn has her greenhouse and everyone’s happy,” she confirmed.

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