Tony Delane Morris has a passion for drawing and East Texas. On his lunch breaks as a truck driver, Morris documents his travels through his art.

Tony Delane Morris has been drawing since he was 5 years old. Now at 57, he uses his spare time on the road to keep his artistic creativity thriving.

Morris, who lives in Mesquite, works for a glass manufacturing company and spends many hours on the road.

“I drive a truck that delivers glass to customers all over Texas,” he said. “East Texas is one of my routes and I love its back roads and piney woods.”

Morris said he uses his lunch break to document his travels through art.

“Any spare time I have, I spend it drawing. During my 30-minute lunch breaks, I park my big work truck where it will fit and draw whatever is in front of me,” he said. “Often times those scenes are mundane but my goal is to bring life to them.”

Morris said he started sharing his artwork online after the COVID-19 pandemic began in hopes of spreading some joy.

“At the beginning of the pandemic I was considered an essential worker so I was out and about every day,” he said. “By sharing my work online with the public, I thought it may bring a smile to a few people that were homebound; years later my wife and I still share them with the public.”

Morris creates using many different styles of art and uses multiple mediums to create it. His drawings all housed in multiple mini sketchbooks that he has filled over the years.

“They are like little adventure treasures to me,” he said. “One day I hope to have a book published of them.”

Morris said a drawing in his small travel sketchbook usually takes about 30 minutes to draw and splash some color on it. He has created art from several locations across East Texas including Tyler, Terrell, Lindale, Troup, Carthage, Longview, Center, Marshall, Henderson, Nacogdoches, Gladewater, and more.

Morris went on to say each town he visits has meaning and recently found out he has strong ties to Smith County.

“I love them all,” he said. “I have a strong connection to East Texas and I recently learned I have multiple ancestors buried in Smith County; many of them in African American cemeteries.”

In February of last year, Morris’ art landed him on a segment of the Texas Country Reporter where he talks about his fascination with old buildings and he strategies he uses when drawing.

Morris said although he currently is not taking commissioned requests due to the work load of his day, he hopes to in the near future.

For now, Morris said he is content continuing his passion which he regularly shares on social media hoping to brighten someone’s day.

“Drawing is my happy place and I am glad that my art may put a smile on a few faces,” he said.

For more information, visit his Facebook page Tony Delane Artwork.

To view more photos, go here.