Morison's early work (from the time she finished art school) concentrated on 'severely formalist' paintings.
After taking a break from exhibiting, in the mid 1980s Morison returned with a series of complex and ambitious works which became signatures in her career.
Large multi-part works such as Vademecum  (1986) and Golem  (1987) are based on a system Morison created based on the number 10, referencing the Sefirothic Tree of Kabbalah and using ten 'logos' and ten key materials ('transparency', gold, silver, 'iridescence', lead, mercury or mercuric-oxide, clay, ash, blood, excrement), in various combinations.
These systems continue to inform much of the artist's work.
This system has informed a great many of her paintings and installation works, and she continues to work with replicating forms (like the Celtic knot) and organising principles (like Victorian myriorama).

In 1997 Morison collaborated with fashion designer Martin Grant on Material evidence: 100-headless woman , a series of ten dresses, each three metres high and each based on a specific material, such as gold, silver, lead, excrement, blood, pearl, and clay.

After the 2011 Christchurch earthquake Morison could not continue painting and instead began making sculptural works, using plaster, clay, the liquefaction sediment from the earthquake and found objects.
Recently she has been working on a major new series of porcelain and stoneware ceramic head forms, called Headcases.
She has currently produced about 30 works from an intended series of 100.
Morison's early work (from the time she finished art school) concentrated on 'severely formalist' paintings. After taking a break from exhibiting, in the mid 1980s Morison returned with a series of complex and ambitious works which became signatures in her career. Large multi-part works such as Vademecum  (1986) and Golem  (1987) are based on a system Morison created based on the number 10, referencing the Sefirothic Tree of Kabbalah and using ten 'logos' and ten key materials ('transparency', gold, silver, 'iridescence', lead, mercury or mercuric-oxide, clay, ash, blood, excrement), in various combinations. These systems continue to inform much of the artist's work. This system has informed a great many of her paintings and installation works, and she continues to work with replicating forms (like the Celtic knot) and organising principles (like Victorian myriorama).
In 1997 Morison collaborated with fashion designer Martin Grant on Material evidence: 100-headless woman , a series of ten dresses, each three metres high and each based on a specific material, such as gold, silver, lead, excrement, blood, pearl, and clay.
After the 2011 Christchurch earthquake Morison could not continue painting and instead began making sculptural works, using plaster, clay, the liquefaction sediment from the earthquake and found objects. Recently she has been working on a major new series of porcelain and stoneware ceramic head forms, called Headcases. She has currently produced about 30 works from an intended series of 100.
Julia Morison