Terry L. Morton Memorial Fund
Terry Morton was born September 1, 1943 to Isabel, a Catskills resort singer, and Irving, a garment merchant. Growing up on Creston Avenue in the Bronx, Terry knew by the age of five that he wanted to be a fashion designer. He attended the High School for Music and Art (class of ’61) and earned a Masters from Hunter College. He wrote his master’s thesis on Erte, actually traveling to Paris to meet with this storied artist!
Upon graduation, Terry pursued his long held dream of being a fashion designer, working in a variety of fashion houses designing clothing for anything from golf to high fashion.
After many years in the fashion industry, he became very interested in textiles, predominantly rare antique textiles from the 17th through the 19th centuries. These included Aubusson, Flemish and Brussels tapestries, needlepoints, embroideries, beaded petit points, silks, cut velvets, and paisleys. He took this interest and parlayed his mastery into a niche business by fashioning these beautiful materials into stunning cushions. He became one of the haute decorating world’s go to for their clients, accessorizing the homes of the rich and famous. He ran this very successful business until his death from AIDS-related illnesses in March 1995.
Studio:
All Studios
Number of Awards:
Multiple
Candidate:
Current Student or Graduating Senior
Criteria:
Award may be used to support need-based scholarships, summer study programs, mini-grants, or graduation awards. Of special interest are LGBT youth, and students involved in fashion and textile design.