TORONTO (Digital Journal) — Taking a walk around downtown Toronto can be frustrating. Amidst large, antique-looking buildings, skyscrapers touch the clouds. People stroll and people rush, car horns honk through rush hour traffic and sirens blare through the streets. For Stephen Murphy, though, a walk though Toronto is inspirational — it’s like walking through a huge paint-by-numbers storybook.
Murphy is a part-time watercolour artist living in Toronto. In the last six years, he has found and developed a love for painting. Now, he identifies with artwork so much that even a leisurely stroll will have him envisioning an upcoming piece.
When he is not painting, Murphy is a server at the upscale Studio Café at The Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto. He has worked at the hotel for nearly ten years. For Murphy, his work at the hotel is very much like his art — an opportunity to meet people from all over the world and share stories.
His latest series, titled Follow Me To Siena, was inspired by a trip through the Tuscan hills of Italy where he painted every morning.
“Siena is a very medieval town with gothic buildings,” Murphy says. “Every morning, I would head out and paint these huge paintings.”
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Toronto-based artist Stephen Murphy shares stories of the places he visits through his art. He describes loves, joys, hardships, and woes with three primary colours and a paintbrush. — Photo by djc Features |
Animatedly real, Murphy’s paintings have a distinct character. They are whimsical and vivacious, thrown on the paper, yet the colours are purposefully rich and pure. The result is a collection of work that is indicative of what people see in their daily lives. It’s a style that Murphy has made his own.
“People tell me that my work is animated and reflects simple joys of life,” he says. “I’d like to think that compliments my own character.”
Murphy, who was born in Antigua, often pays tribute to his Caribbean ancestry and roots through his art.
“I paint three-dimensional art on a two-dimension surface,” he explains. “I use colours that vibrant and bold. I find it very therapeutic to be painting with bold colours on a gloomy, winter day.”
In addition to his Siena series, Murphy has a vast collection of large paintings. One, titled Cuban Cigar, reflects visions of Cuban life, with oversized, effervescent images of old cars and landscapes. Another, simply called Streetcar Series, gives life to public transit in Toronto. For this series, Murphy tells stories through shapes, shadows and tints rather than communicating through words.
Murphy’s art shares stories of the places he visits. He describes loves, joys, hardships, and woes with three primary colours and a paintbrush.
Murphy’s artwork will be on display at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in March 2005 as part of a North American exhibit showcasing 200-300 artists across the continent.
