Glimpse of Something Greater
Is there something greater within all of us? Yes. Most people would probably say. But, can the majority of them artistically record their imaginations and emotions that only exist in their minds and make the unseen visible in paintings? “The truth is we can only make our pictures speak”. This statement was written by Vincent van Gogh in his last letter, just before his death”.
Linda Murray See Murray's work at www.artbytheriver.com
Indeed, Linda Murray's paintings reveal a sense of place to viewers while her abstract images speak to their emotions rather than their intellect. It has been said the 
artist should make the viewer think, otherwise it's just decoration.
Yet, in reality painting does not speak some arcane language that we need special skill to master. The art of seeing art lies in retaining a child's ability to respond simply. Ask any two viewers to describe what is it about a painting that particularly attracts them and you will receive two different responses. One might indicate it is the color, another will express that it conveys the artist's feelings. “Color sets the emotional tone of my images – while my design sensibilities lead me to its completion”, says Murray. Friends
In her tree-themed series she is most noted for the tree shapes themselves, and their arrangements. Murray says she became inspired after a storm in 2006 – when a large tree fell just missing their studio and a neighboring house. The Murrays lost one of their oldest maple trees. During the harvesting of the remains of the old maple, she began an artist exploration of old trees. Linda Murray discovered those that exuded the wisdom, strength and signs of their past are like humans. “I find trees a perfect metaphor for people in that as they age the more interesting they become”, said Murray.
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Murray's says the trees are created from life and memory – her abstracts reveal emotion and are born by her internal landscape. Many of Murray's images have been influenced by Spanish, surrealist painter, Oscar Dominquez, who in the 1930s developed a painting technique producing dreamy landscape-like images. Ascension
Another aspect of Murray's work is her unique blending of her painting talent with teaching. Murray began teaching in 2001. Her unconventional approach to teaching watercolors has given her much success. She teaches intuitively in developing her student's own individual free-flowing approach to painting. Murray has instructed watercolor and acrylic classes in many locations in Maine, During the Fall and Winter semesters, Murray teaches at the MerryMeeting Adult Education in Topsham, Maine and the Bath Adult Education Center located in Bath, Maine.
Linda Murray was born in Augusta, Maine, and graduated from the University of Maine with honors in Studio Art in 2004. Since then, Murray has received recognition and awards. Center for Maine Contemporary Art, Rockport, Maine – 2010, Maine Biennial. Harmon's & Barton's, Portland, Maine, Sylvan, Solo Exhibit of Paintings – 2009. River Arts, Damariscotta, Maine, Group Juried Exhibit, “Driven to Abstraction” – 2009. Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, “Root Works”, Solo Exhibition – 2009. Qasimsabti Gallery, Baghdad, Iraq, “Hello, Baghda”, Group Invitational Exhibit, Pine Tree State Arboretum, Augusta, Maine, Solo Exhibit,“Shelterwood” – 2009, Blue Marble Gallery, Waterville, Maine, Solo Exhibit, 2009 “Out of Stillness”, Joseph A. Driscoll, Art Gallery, Brockton Maine, Solo Exhibit, “A Walk in The Woods” – 2008.
In 2006, Murray became co-founder of Wallscapes, Etc., mural painting company, she did a public mural as well commercial and residential murals with her painting partner, B.J. Rainville. The public mural is installed at the Cocheco Mills in Dover, New Hampshire.
On any given day you will find Murray in her studio in Bath, Maine working on trees or a landscape or one of her abstract paintings she does with seemingly effortless precision. “The image I created reveals the glimpse of something greater than myself. I feel that I am not its creator, but rather its facilitator”,said Murray.
Roz Martin
