Mary Lee Murphy
Mary Lee Murphy is one of Ireland’s leading contemporary Batik artists. She was born in Waterford City and went on to study fine Art at Sligo, where she continues to work from her countryside studio.Mary’s work has been widely acclaimed and has been exhibited throughout Ireland and on the continent. Her work is on display in many public places and in private collections.
In 1999, Mary was invited to participate in the International Batik Exhibition ‘Wax Cracks’ held in Ghent, Belgium.
REVIEWS
‘The batiks have an imaginative cosmic exhilaration, and would make convincing illustrations for some fantastic tale’
Hilary Pyle, Art Critic and Author-Irish Times.
‘Delicately wistful beings moving through psychedelic landscapes of strange foliage and enticing shapes, makes up ‘Waiting’, the stunning new Exhibition by Artist Mary Lee Murphy’
review by Kernan Andrews- Galway Advertiser.
‘Joe Hunt’s review of Mary Lee Murphy’s Exhibition at the Sligo Art Gallery stood out, not simply because of Mr. Hunt’s approval of the high quality of the work show, but because his and my opinion dovetailed exactly. Mary Lee Murphy has managed to move Batik away from everything traditionally associated with it. Here is a confident, clear eyed quality of someone who knows exactly what she is doing……….’
Review of Rattle Bag by Tom Widger Sunday Tribune.
Artist Statement
“I do not do Batik” as most people ask – I am a painter working through the medium of wax and dye, which is traditionally, know at Batik. I use the landscape and human form as a means of expressing what is inside myself. My subject matter is my first concern, and my use of my materials follows. Therefore I am not confined to any specific rules of technique, and I am constantly developing new ways of using wax and dye, to say what I want to say. The quality of my medium allows me to make marks which are permanent, and colours flowing and bleeding – Batik was for me a gradual flow from painting with watercolours. Sometimes the whole process is quite mysterious.
I work on a variety of cloth – linen, silk, cotton, using brushes and painting to apply the hot wax. The painting is like my pencil – it creates a fine line. The background to my work involves drawing. Drawing is very important to me. This is my learning process. The work is energetic and colour is my strength. I will not sacrifice my work for momentary gain. I will explore the medium for the rest of my life”
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
| 2005 | Thirsting for Light” The Linenhall Arts Centre |
| 2004 | ‘Waiting’ Municipal Gallery Waterford. |
| 2003 | ‘Sea meets Land’ Dungarven Arts Centre – Dungarven Waterford. |
| 2002 | ‘Waiting’ Mullingar Arts Centre- Mullingar- Co. Westmeath. |
| 2001 | ‘Waiting’ Kenny Gallery- Galway- Ireland. |
| 1999 | ‘Images from Connemara’ McCanny Gallery- Sligo –Ireland. |
| 1994 | ‘Drawings and Batiks’ Ostan an Cheathru Rua – Connemara- |
| 1993 | ’Drawings and Batiks’ Westshore Gallery – Oughterard –Galway. |
| 1992 | ‘Trees’ Mullingar County Buildings – Mullingar – Co. Westmeath. |
| 1991 | ‘Images from Connemara’ Garter Lane Arts Centre – Waterford. |
| 1990 | ‘Images from a landscape’ Cork Arts Society Gallery – Cork. |
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
| 2001 | Iontas Small works Competition- Sligo Art Gallery- Sligo. |
| 2001 | ‘Music’ Mixed Media Exhibition- Sligo Art Gallery- Sligo. |
| 1999 | ‘Wax Cracks’ Ghent International Batik Exhibition- Belgium. |
| 1993 | Contemporary Touring Batik Exhibition- England. |
| 1992 | Contemporary Batik Exhibition- Copenhagen- Denmark. |
| 1991 | ‘Crossing Boundaries’ Touring Batik Exhibition- England. |
| 1990 | Terrace Gallery- Harewood House- Leeds- England. |
| 1989 | Gallery Sommerhousen- Five Artists- Germany. |
| 1989 | An tOireachtas- Open Select Exhibition- Dublin- Ireland. |
| 1991 | ‘Images from Connemara’ Garter Lane Arts Centre – Waterford. |
| 1990 | ‘Images from a landscape’ Cork Arts Society Gallery – Cork. |