ARTIST BIO

Kathleen (Bragg) Murphy grew up in Quidi Vidi Village; just minutes from downtown St. John’s, province of Newfoundland and Labrador. As a visual artist for over 20 years, she enjoys painting a variety of subjects and her preferred medium is acrylic. She enjoys painting images that tell a story. Kathleen’s work has been exhibited locally, nationally, and internationally.

The most recent highlight of Kathleen’s career is her creation and exhibition of a comparative series of 12 paintings of Quidi Vidi Village, which she completed in 2020. The series, named “From My Doorstep,” displayed the landscapes of Quidi Vidi Village as they were decades ago, which were paired with the landscapes representing how they exist today. The art pieces captured the history of Quidi Vidi in its natural beauty, strength, and character. The project was supported by ArtsNL Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council, and presented in a solo art exhibition at The Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador Art Gallery in the fall of 2020.

ARTIST STATEMENT

When I can relate to the beauty and uniqueness of a landscape, still life, or an individual, I am motivated to paint that image. Before I paint, I usually sketch or draw the subject from a photo reference while focusing mainly on its composition.

I work mostly in acrylic paint and I tend to use the same color palette from which I can mix a variety of colors to create my artwork. I feel a sense of engagement and I rely on painting as my form of meditation.

When I paint, I am telling stories on canvas for my audience to enjoy. Color, value, uniqueness, light and shadow are among the features that fascinate me in a composition.

During my artistic journey, I seek out opportunities from various artists where I can learn new techniques that support my goal of bringing my artwork to a new level.