Murphy Adams: SEE HERE
In “See Here” I’m working with the idea of
telling someone off, letting them in on how
you feel, letting your opinion be known,
while maybe what we’re really saying is
“see, here, see inside my heart, feel what
I’m feeling”. My work is about emotion; it’s
about what people think about but never
say, about what you’ve said but wish you
hadn’t or about how actions speak more
than words. It’s the process of what we feel
inside and how it manifests itself in words
and actions on the outside.
My quirky, naive style is intentionally childlike, alphabet blocks spell out heart breaking messages and words packed with emotional heat are scrawled in brightly painted backgrounds. Our relationships with one another, and with the world around us are put under the microscope and seen through a most simple eye, see here, this is who I am.
About Me
I’m a people watcher, a curious observer of life. I keep a small sketchbook with me to quickly capture my observations; usually things around me that I find funny, awkward or beautiful. I also explore the angry thoughts & absurd ideas that occur to all of us, in the privacy of our own mind. I then take my drawings and translate them into small works in acrylic and ink on heavy watercolor paper. I use both hands to draw and paint with; drawing with my left gives my work a loose feeling that’s difficult to achieve with my right hand. Because color and texture are integral to my work I start by under-painting and create by using multiple layers of jewel tone color combined with matte medium and ink. I intentionally work small because I think it captures the intimacy of the moment that I’m presenting with each piece. I also work in clay and mosaic, creating all the tiles used by hand. As far as influence I draw on elements of folk art, outsider art & children’s work. Stylistically, I aim for a cartoon-like innocence injected with a small dose of irony. While I hope people find humor in my work, or find in it something that they can personally relate to, what I’m really trying to convey is raw emotion: love, hate, joy, regret, revenge, despair, failure, rejection, but mostly hope.I went to art school & studied drawing & painting quite a few years ago. I’ve been painting for many years, but lately have committed myself to a life of just making art. I also work as a muralist and mosaic artist & have done many public works, primarily on school sites.
To find out more: www.murphyadams.net