In April 1974, after being invited to exhibit in a group show of women artists, Morton began using doilies, bows, and glitter in her work, reclaiming the decorative materials often associated with femininity. Later that year she became fascinated by the book Weeds of the Northeast, a Victorian-style field guide that ascribes emotional characteristics to plants. In a series of ten drawings of treasure maps, Morton drew and labeled various leaves and ensconced the drawings in glitter and fake wood paneling. Her whimsical depictions, combined with descriptions like "a few large triangular teeth," evoke a sense of playful adventure and potential danger.
Gallery label from Compass in Hand: Selections from The Judith Rothschild Foundation Contemporary Drawings Collection, April 22, 2009–January 4, 2010.
