My life inspires my work, be it glorious or dull. Each painting I do is a metaphor for where I am currently. They become self-portraits through the anthropomorphising of objects of importance to me, encompassing the narratives of an emotion or situation I want to convey.
Melissa Murray dwells on the difficulties of making art, motherhood and climbing out of lull periods when inspiration is elusive.
You with the matches, me with the kindling
How did your artistic journey begin?
I created art as a child to make my own happiness, a safe place to be enveloped in, an insular environment of my own creation. I have never not drawn or painted and still use it as a medium to process the complexities of life.
I almost failed high school because I never went to class. I just worked in the art rooms. I wound up graduating, and went to Fashion Institute of Technology, New York City (NYC). Soon, I found it wasn’t for me and dropped out. I then moved to the mountains in New York at 19, fell in love, travelled around, headed back to NYC and got my BFA in painting from Purchase College in 2006. I began showing my work during my undergrad studied, settled in a house and studio in Bushwick, where my husband and I still live and work alongside our vibrant young son, Jack.
I want more for you
Tell us about the evolution of your practice over the years.
My practice has always been a dedicated time that is paramount to my day, though having a child did shake that up a bit. I wasn’t able to drop everything and head to the studio anymore because that “thing” was now a human being, who needed to be shaped into the type of person that I think our world needs right now. So I worked at night or when the baby was sleeping and on the weekends. Sometimes, I didn’t work and nothing gutted me more, though in retrospect I wish I was kinder to myself as it all comes back around in a very short period of time. Now with my son in school full time, I have never been more grateful for time – time to work, time to think and time develop new projects.
Sacred space
What were your biggest learnings and hurdles along the way? Any memorable moment?
Preparing for a solo show after just giving birth. I had my young son in the studio with me. It was a battle to be bold in my work and safe and reserved as a caregiver at the same time. I learned that I cannot do both simultaneously, and had to find dedicated spaces to do both separately.
What inspires you? Take us through your process.
My life inspires my work, be it glorious or dull. Each painting I do is a metaphor for where I am currently. They become self-portraits through the anthropomorphising of objects of importance to me, encompassing the narratives of an emotion or situation I want to convey. I am also inspired visually by the dark woods of upstate NY. There is a mystical nature in a forest where people are absent. It scares me, especially at night.
How do you describe yourself in the context of challenging people’s perspectives via your work?
I feel my work is most successful when it exists with people who can relate their personal narrative to mine. I do not aim to challenge their perspective. I’d rather relate with what it means to be human.
Little Deaths
How do you balance art and life?
Very good question! If you have a good answer I’d love to know! The days whip by without my feet ever touching the ground lately. I am a full time artist and full time mother. One good skill I’ve adapted is to think about my work constantly, planning out every detail of a work, looking at it in my mind as if I’ve already seen it. When I am in my studio I just work. I’ve become a well-oiled machine in there, just executing paintings.
How do you deal with the conceptual difficulty and uncertainty of creating work?
In my experience, when I have lost inspiration to make a new work I get really down. It’s a bad place to be but climbing out of that depth is a difficult yet enlightening experience. It also pushes me in a better direction creatively. Sink or swim.
The Heat
How does your audience interact and react to the work?
I feel when my work catches the eye of a viewer, there’s a pause. It reminds them of something and in the end that remembrance is a bit like déjà vu – a vague reminder of something deeply personal in their own life.
What are you looking for when you look at other artists’ work? Which shows, performances and experiences have shaped your creative process? Who are your maestros?
I don’t really set out to look at other artists, as strange as that may sound. I rather immerse myself in a city of art and surround myself with artists I respect. I feel experiencing art that way is very personal and gives your environment moments to influence you on a subconscious level. Seeing live music also has a deep effect on my practice. Something about watching people do what they love to do so passionately at a decibel where the conscious mind needs to take a back seat is really inspiring for me.
What have you observed about artists in flow?
It’s why I live in NYC. People come here to live their best artistic lives. Being around that energy makes me work harder.
What is that one thing you wished people would ask you but never do?
Do you need a wealthy benefactor?
So much to lose
How does your interaction with a curator, gallery or client evolve from the initial interface to the working-involvement-relationship? How do you feel about commissions?
It has always been a mutually beneficial and symbiotic relationship in my experience. I feel if you have achieved that relationship, the gallery, curator or client will put their trust in you to make work at the calibre they are expecting. I work best under pressure. So, maybe, that helps. I do hate commissions though. Of course I’ll do them, but creating work with someone else’s vision is a lot of pressure.
What are you working on now? What’s coming next season?
I have done a few publications, interviews and podcasts recently. The upcoming My Mother Maker podcast interview will be released in early January. Friend Of The Artist (FOA) is including my work in their next publication. Currently, I have a large painting in Dutoit Gallery in Ohio, through the I like your work podcast. Also, Vellum magazine recently released their Forest of Illusion edition that features a few paintings of mine.