Michelle Murray
Michelle Murray
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
[email protected]
780-231-0726
Figurative Paintings
Bella's Petals
Oil on West Coast panel
12 x 16
Available
$1,400.00 USD
Oil on West Coast panel
12 x 16
Available
$1,400.00 USD
Musings after the Dance
Oil on Canvas
24 x 24 x 1
Available
Oil on Canvas
24 x 24 x 1
Available
Far Away
Oil on Canvas
36 x 18 x 1
$2,800.00 USD
Oil on Canvas
36 x 18 x 1
$2,800.00 USD
In Thought
Oil on Canvas
24 x 30
Available
Oil on Canvas
24 x 30
Available
Roses are Red
Oil on Canvas
30 x 22
$3,600.00 USD
Oil on Canvas
30 x 22
$3,600.00 USD
Flamenco Stage Right
Oil on Canvas
28 x 20 x .75
Available
$2,500.00 USD
Oil on Canvas
28 x 20 x .75
Available
$2,500.00 USD
Mmmm Good Ice Cream
Oil on West Coast panel
14 x 11 x .25
$1,250.00 USD
Oil on West Coast panel
14 x 11 x .25
$1,250.00 USD
Brothers - It Was Then That I Carried You
Oil on West Coast panel
20 x 16 x .25
Available
$2,000.00 USD
Oil on West Coast panel
20 x 16 x .25
Available
$2,000.00 USD
Art from Passion
Michelle was born in Michigan and raised in Ohio before coming to Alberta, Canada as a young adult. She now resides in Edmonton, AB, Canada, with her husband Sean and their family. Michelle is the mother of eight and grandmother of sixteen.
Michelle became interested in art as a child while watching her grandfather paint during his retirement years. And it is a family affair, for her great, great grandfather was an artist as well, having painted the church ceiling in Serra San Bruno, Italy. Michelle discovered her talent and passion for art at 14, while sketching from life with a friend. She went on to study with a classically trained Dutch artist in commercial art, an experience she calls "a total immersion in art and technique". She has since studied with many of today's master artists.
In love with oils from the very first brush stroke, Michelle loves a mix of styles, tight with loose, thick with thin, broad with delicate, transparent with opaque. She uses the paint to its fullest to add vibrancy to her work. She gravitates toward painting figures, as she feels the figures offer a chance for storytelling. Michelle first learned to handle the issue of light by painting the still life, and now uses that knowledge of light and form on her figures. Given her passion for painting the figure, it is not surprising that her inspiration comes from masters such as Sorolla, Sargent, Bouguereau, Cecelia Beaux, Rockwell, Pino, and some of today's masters such as Weistling, Gerhartz, Situ and Schmid.
Figurative Artwork
It is Michelle's aim to capture the light and beauty of the moment... to tell the story of the splendor of life, while capturing thought, emotion and mood.
Plein air/Landscape
This is becoming a new area of focus and growth. The challenge to record the fleeting beauty and spectacular light of the scene before the sun moves and changes the scene entirely is a great joy. Every new day offers a new opportunity!
Michelle's landscapes start with a plein air study to capture the feel and intensity of the light and values. This provides the information necessary when back in the studio to keep that quality in the artwork.
Michelle’s figurative painting process starts with plein air on location with her subject. She will paint a study from life in an effort to bring the quality of light and values that the camera looses from the original scene, into the studio artwork. In the studio the photo reference combined with the field study helps bring all the elements
Still Life
It is Michelle's desire to express the movement of light and richness of color, to capture the magnificence of the ordinary.
My Philosophy
An excerpt from Pope Benedict XVI's letter to Artists has special meaning to Michelle. Her motto is Per Dei Gratium, Pro Dei Gloria: By God's Grace, for God's Glory. She signs each painting with the private dedication Tota Tua (totally yours). Michelle says painting is a gift she received so she tries to give it back, never painting without prayer first. There is a deep spiritual element to her paintings.
"You are the custodians of beauty: thanks to your talent, you have the opportunity to speak to the heart of humanity, to touch individual and collective sensibilities, to call forth dreams and hopes, to broaden the horizons of knowledge and of human engagement... be grateful, then, for the gifts you have received and be fully conscious of your great responsibility to communicate beauty, to communicate in and through beauty!
" - Pope Benedict XVI
Per Dei Gratium, Pro Dei Gloria
Michelle was born in Michigan and raised in Ohio before coming to Alberta, Canada as a young adult. She now resides in Edmonton, AB, Canada, with her husband Sean and their family. Michelle is the mother of eight and grandmother of sixteen.
Michelle became interested in art as a child while watching her grandfather paint during his retirement years. And it is a family affair, for her great, great grandfather was an artist as well, having painted the church ceiling in Serra San Bruno, Italy. Michelle discovered her talent and passion for art at 14, while sketching from life with a friend. She went on to study with a classically trained Dutch artist in commercial art, an experience she calls "a total immersion in art and technique". She has since studied with many of today's master artists.
In love with oils from the very first brush stroke, Michelle loves a mix of styles, tight with loose, thick with thin, broad with delicate, transparent with opaque. She uses the paint to its fullest to add vibrancy to her work. She gravitates toward painting figures, as she feels the figures offer a chance for storytelling. Michelle first learned to handle the issue of light by painting the still life, and now uses that knowledge of light and form on her figures. Given her passion for painting the figure, it is not surprising that her inspiration comes from masters such as Sorolla, Sargent, Bouguereau, Cecelia Beaux, Rockwell, Pino, and some of today's masters such as Weistling, Gerhartz, Situ and Schmid.
Figurative Artwork
It is Michelle's aim to capture the light and beauty of the moment... to tell the story of the splendor of life, while capturing thought, emotion and mood.
Plein air/Landscape
This is becoming a new area of focus and growth. The challenge to record the fleeting beauty and spectacular light of the scene before the sun moves and changes the scene entirely is a great joy. Every new day offers a new opportunity!
Michelle's landscapes start with a plein air study to capture the feel and intensity of the light and values. This provides the information necessary when back in the studio to keep that quality in the artwork.
Michelle’s figurative painting process starts with plein air on location with her subject. She will paint a study from life in an effort to bring the quality of light and values that the camera looses from the original scene, into the studio artwork. In the studio the photo reference combined with the field study helps bring all the elements
Still Life
It is Michelle's desire to express the movement of light and richness of color, to capture the magnificence of the ordinary.
My Philosophy
An excerpt from Pope Benedict XVI's letter to Artists has special meaning to Michelle. Her motto is Per Dei Gratium, Pro Dei Gloria: By God's Grace, for God's Glory. She signs each painting with the private dedication Tota Tua (totally yours). Michelle says painting is a gift she received so she tries to give it back, never painting without prayer first. There is a deep spiritual element to her paintings.
"You are the custodians of beauty: thanks to your talent, you have the opportunity to speak to the heart of humanity, to touch individual and collective sensibilities, to call forth dreams and hopes, to broaden the horizons of knowledge and of human engagement... be grateful, then, for the gifts you have received and be fully conscious of your great responsibility to communicate beauty, to communicate in and through beauty!
" - Pope Benedict XVI
Per Dei Gratium, Pro Dei Gloria
Landscapes
Last of Winter Greys
Oil on Linen
11 x 14 x .25
Available
$1,000.00 USD
Oil on Linen
11 x 14 x .25
Available
$1,000.00 USD
Emerald Forest
Oil on Canvas
36 x 18 x .75
$2,900.00 USD
Oil on Canvas
36 x 18 x .75
$2,900.00 USD
Florals
Tangled
Oil on Canvas
12 x 18 x .75
Available
Life is Intertwined with the beauty of the people around us and together we make a bouquet!
Oil on Canvas
12 x 18 x .75
Available
Life is Intertwined with the beauty of the people around us and together we make a bouquet!
Vase with Autumn Fruit
Oil on Canvas
12" x 16"
Available
Oil on Canvas
12" x 16"
Available
Copper Pot
Oil on Panel
14" x 18"
Available
Oil on Panel
14" x 18"
Available
Red Garden Roses
Oil on Panel
14" x 18"
Available
Oil on Panel
14" x 18"
Available
Rose, Chinese Vase & Oranges
Oil on Panel
12" x 16"
Available
Oil on Panel
12" x 16"
Available
