Some might say that John Murray’s current home at Lightning Ridge in New South Wales makes a dramatic contrast to his Melbourne birthplace – but it doubtless feeds his passion for the Outback landscape.
John has a Diploma of Art, and he has always nurtured the same artistic interests.
“My full-time career started 25 years ago in Lightning Ridge,” he reveals. “My enduring passion is for painting and working with paint … I love the stuff!”
As a professional artist, John has used oils, pastels, crayon and charcoal; but he prefers and consistently works with acrylics.
“I love the landscape and the animals that inhabit it,” he relates. “The landscape is such a dynamic and changing thing; with colour and intensity … and it is interesting to watch animal life adapting to its rhythms.”
John Murray is a realist painter working in the medium of acrylic paint on canvas and paper. Whimsical photo-realism is one way to describe his approach to painting. On a technical level, he places a priority on addressing the light source in a realistic way.
“No matter how indulgent I am with parodies of birds and human behaviour, there is always that attention to light and shadow,” he insists. “My work is constantly evolving and I enjoy contrasting serious landscape studies with whimsical caricatures of birds and other creatures.”
When he arrived in the Outback as a city artist, his first impression of the landscape was the simplicity and clarity of his new surroundings.
This story is from the No 169 edition of Artists Palette.
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This story is from the No 169 edition of Artists Palette.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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Artists' Easels
Many important tools are employed by artists in creating their paintings. Artists’ easels are now available in a host of styles and configurations to enhance the creative process. Some of your favourite art materials suppliers are more than pleased to highlight a selection of the many products being offered.
