Sally Murphy

Sally Murphy spends her time living and painting in Jerome, AZ.  Her work has been shown all over in the galleries and publications of Arizona.  Although, she is largely a self taught artist she apprenticed with a Taos, New Mexico artist - where she learned techniques which she is utilizing in many of her paintings, in particular her nests and tumbleweeds.  This subtractive method of painting is achieved by rubbing the desired paint colors on the wood panel where needed and then pulled off with a rag and her thumbnail to create the desired image.  It can be seen like drawing in reverse. Virtually no brushwork being involved.  She also utilizes a palette knife at times and then from there she may apply glazes.  Her subjects range from figurative to trees, rocks and flowers, with an occasional animal thrown in.  She utilizes bright colors on many and yet neutrals on others and never picks up a brush.  Choosing to use rags and knives instead.

"My themes seem to run toward details in nature, I have a deep love of trees and birds that stems from my childhood yard which was full of large trees.  Rocks have always been a family fascination and then of course figures fascinate me, especially if I can capture a sense of the divine.  My brightly colored paintings have a "pop-art" feel, that comes from my growing up years surrounded by the echoes of the 60's. I am especially fond of painting from my dreams.."