Chris McMurry was born in Portland in 1970 and never left. He has been drawing since the age of two. He is self-taught. Most of his artwork has been in pencil up until the age of 30 until a friend of his purchased some canvases as a Christmas gift. He bought some paint and started painting and expanded his knowledge of art over the last 20 years, gradually finding his artistic voice.
Aesthetic: Most of his painting/drawings pieces aren’t planned and sometimes what he initially thinks is a sketch may end up being a final piece. He might have preconceived ideas for colors and style but for the most part he doesn’t know what the final result will be. He has fun figuring it all out and working through adventures, accidents and unexpected results allowing the expression to reveal itself.
Art mediums: Mixed media. Using dry and wet medium, pencils, pastels, charcoal and wax crayon. Substrates are primarily paper and canvas.
Art process: Dense colorful pieces that feature lots of mark making, scribbles, layers balancing the line between abstract and realism, sometimes including text and abstract writing. Paint is applied from a variety of methods, pallet knife, scraping and a brush, the second component involves minimalist black and white works featuring line work made from ink, markers or paint. Minimalist black and white pieces with intersecting lines and abstract shapes.
Inspiration: Everything, from children (he loves the freedom that they use in making marks with no sense of second guessing or self doubt), abstract expressionist, Picasso, Basquiat, DeKooning, Moth-erwell, pop art and street art. Exhibitions: My work has been shown at The Portland Art Museum, Milieu Collective, PDX Suite Spot, 45th Parallel Wines, Artists & Craftsman, Cultured Kindness, No Wave Coffee, Revolution Bookshop, Wines on Second, Arrowood, The Center and The 4th Wall.
Chris McMurry
6806 N. Pittsburg Ave. Portland, OR 97203
503-568-9580
www.chrismcmurry.com
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