MURRAY TAYLOR has travelled extensively, making paintings of the light from Hawaii to Nepal to France to Costa Rica, and many of the places in-between. His use of color and brushstroke combine to make paintings that glow. The paintings made on location are the result of carefully observing the light for two hours or more. That time becomes embedded in his memory, and the resulting painting is a trigger to that memory. When he is back in his studio in Maryland he makes large paintings loosely based on those memories. He is starting with the memory of something representational and creating something new that adds in an element of the abstract. He works in layers of brushstrokes, smears and drips, pushing oil paint and bee's wax from thin to thick, opaque to transparent. The result are paintings that can be viewed over and over, and still have something new to give. , .

"My current series of paintings are dominated by sky. Many also have oceans, some have landscapes, others are just clouds. Looking up at the sky has always been associated with deep meditative thought, prayer and wonder. There is something about looking out over water at a distant horizon that allows the mind greater freedom. The sky and ocean can each be very different from day to day - it's a great source of inspiration. I'm paintings memories of universal motifs using complicated layers of paint to allow the viewer to get lost in the painting. The idea is to nudge the viewer into their own thoughts. Sometimes I am bringing order out of chaos, other times I am letting chaos have its moment of beauty - always allowing space for something mystical to shine through. My technique is always evolving."

Murray has had several one man shows in Maryland, and has been selected for group shows from Chicago to New York to Washington D.C. Along the way he has won awards including Best In Show and First Place. He graduated with honors in Fine Art from Frostburg State University, and has completed additional coursework at The Maryland Institute College of Art, Towson University and The University of California Santa Barbara.

Portfolio: