![]() I had to search around to find a photo to put here of Mr. Murphy. I will describe him for you. "Murph" as we called him, had a full beard and heavily framed square glasses. He bounced when he walked. He had a ready smile and laughed out loud. I don't remember any first impressions, or the first time I met him, but I remember years under his mentoring as a high school student. By this time I knew I loved art. I knew I was pretty good at it. I was excited to be in an art class. I found it hard to choose between the classes he offered and never did get to do any ceramics or pottery with him. I wish I had. But what did this man teach me in 3 short years that I have carried with me for the next 24? SOOO much. This was the beginning of Art History, Art Appreciation, Art Critique and Composition for me. Murph got out the slide projector and showed us Art History slides. He told us stories of the lives of artists. I loved the stories behind the art. He showed us how to read a painting through the composition. I learned to pay attention to how my eye traveled through a piece of art so that I could in turn guide someone's eye through my own composition elements. Each Thursday Murph required us to turn in a Thursday sketch. Groan! But as we each hung our work on the wall and took a look we got the opportunity to learn to critique each other's work and also how to accept the critique of others. It was nerve wracking at first, to hear the criticism of your peers. But as they pointed out that my values weren't dark enough or my work looked unfinished and needed more time spent, I learned to do better. I improved my work. And I learned a more educated way to look at artwork. I learned what made art better and what made my art weak. Murph's class was a world of discovery for me. I did a lot of work in colored pencil (I learned quickly that only Prisma colors were even worth using), He had watercolors and acrylics and oils. He taught us airbrushing and silk screening. We did work in pastels and charcoal. He taught me to measure and cut a mat. We learned the importance of presentation. Art was inexpensively matted and shrink wrapped for shows. We learned responsibility. I knew I could spend my art time on other homework, or braiding my friend's hair, but I had a deadline. And if it didn't look like I had spent the adequate amount of time on a project it showed in my grade. ![]() For many of us, the art room was our haven. We chose the music we listened to as we worked. I ate lunch there and stayed after school to work on projects. I painted a giant portrait of Jim Morrison on the wall in the art room. I loved to be there. I became the Art Club president. We made the T-shirts for the school clubs, learning design principles along the way. We made posters, programs, entered local contests and art shows. I sold my first drawing to a perfect stranger at one of these shows. It was a milestone I will always remember. I left Prescott High School with more than my memories of Murph. He gave me a mug he made and it is a valued treasure to me. He gave me a few donated supplies to continue working with. I have been excited to go find him at the high school and reconnect in the years since. I remember calling him years after graduating and telling him I was experiencing a dry spell and he told me to find and read a book that helped him. I am thrilled that my brother Ammon also took Art from Murph and was equally inspired by him. I knew I wanted to continue in Art, and I have found that because of Murph's example I have become a really good teacher. Like Murph, my mind is an open book to my students. I share with them my love for Art History. I make sure they see examples of lots of different approaches to art. I foster creativity. I allow freedom of expression. I provide the inspiration and let my students create something of their very own. I will never want everyone's project to turn out the same. I tell them to keep pushing a project. I tell them how they can make a good project even better by applying art principles Mostly, I LOVE what I do. Murph loved what he did. I know I am not alone. He inspired many. I hope he knows it! Recently a friend from High School and I were talking about the amazing number of us there are who went on to careers in Art from just our own generation in his class. There are gallery owners, Fine artists, teachers, CAD designers, Auto Art designers, and lots of hobbyists too. I think it's amazing how many of us went on to successfully pursue art. I wonder how many artists we will mentor along the way too. I almost think its the only way to create an artist. Art is brought about through inspiration. What better way to create an artist than through the same route. Thank you to Jill Gomas Faison for her blog Art for Elementary Teachers with her article on Mentors that challenged me to write about my own mentor! http://artforelementaryteachers.com/2013/06/12/my-mentor/
25 Comments
Charles Armstrong
3/2/2014 12:12:44 pm
Nicely written Anika. Murph was a great teacher, and his great advice and guidance helped me become the artist I am today. I am grateful to have been a part of, and shared the experiences you've written of here, with Mr Murphy, our friend and teacher. Long live Thursday sketch!
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3/2/2014 02:50:43 pm
I don't think I ever saw that photo of you and Murph together. Thanks for sharing all of this!
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Cheryl Moran
3/2/2014 09:26:08 pm
Anika, what a tribute! I am sending him you blog link, he will be so moved! So glad to see that you continued in art! Hugs, Mrs. Moran
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Brad Clark
3/2/2014 11:06:51 pm
Perfect! That captured exactly what it was like to be in his class and to know him, thanks for sharing this.
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Yeah Murph and I were high school buddies. We lost track of each other for a bunch of years but were re-introduced at a surprise 50th birthday party of mine a few years back. I never took art from Mike but remember going to Thano Johnson(?) with him a million years ago on one of several hitchhiking/backpacking escapades we did together. Thano was a fairly famous but crusty old potter in Marble Colorado. Maybe some of Thanos crustiness lives on in Murph. I know he has been an inspiration to me in a lot of ways I just wish we hadnt lost touch for those years. But thankful for what we have. Rock on Murph!
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3/3/2014 02:08:46 am
Murph was the greatest. I was just telling my kids the other day how my one and only paying gig was for him. He hired me to design the front pocket sized logo for the soccer team. It was great. I always leaned towards graphic design, but never took it up as a career. Still, to this day though, I design logos for my fitness webpages, and illustrated the cover of my mom's book. Still, without Murphs guidance, who knows what would have happened to my artistic abilities. Thank you for sharing Anika
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Alyssa White
3/3/2014 10:28:42 am
This is amazingly written! I think of Murph all the time and until a few years ago he was the only teacher to understand me. He is such an amazing person and so blessed to have touched our lives and the lives of many. He makes me want to be an amazing teacher too. Thank you for the share on this Anika!
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Dave LoCicero
3/3/2014 12:27:24 pm
Wow Anika! that is so cool that you created this posting! Murph has always been my all time favorite teacher! I will never forget him! What a gift he gave us all! He was the best! How he could throw a pot on the wheel with his feet! How he got some of us into college lifedrawing class when we were his students! I used to live art back then. My senior year consisted of math, English and 3 art classes plus Id spend my free time and lunch hour doing art. Also I'm so thankful that I got to meet you all! You guys have really become successful and its so awesome that you are living your art! I wonder what ever happened to folks like John Parker and Jason Hanke?
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Brad James
3/3/2014 12:30:53 pm
A very well-written and very true article; a great tribute to a great person. Murph challenged us, inspired us, motivated us, and had confidence in us; everything adolescent youth need at such a key time in their lives when they are learning to define themselves. Thank you, Murph, for everything!
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Salmon Ammon
3/3/2014 10:19:33 pm
I don't have a specific story, but I made sure I had his class or was a TA for him all four terms of HS. There was no where I wanted to be more than in his art room. I remember so much from his Tuesday Sketch critiques that help me to appreciate and do artwork. He made my nickname (Salmon Ammon) cool, when I originally hated it. It is no exaggeration to say he changed my life, because when I was in a slump some simple words of his came to mind, "You'll never be happy if you don't do what's in your heart." Message received, Mr. Murphy!
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Salmon Ammon
3/3/2014 10:25:33 pm
...oops, Thursday Sketch.
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Ian Culver
3/3/2014 10:29:29 pm
This is too cool! I'll be following this for sure. I spent 3 of my 4 years in that room as often as possible, and by my senior year I had art 3-4, art TA, and a free hour after my other classes than I hung out there instead of going home lol. I had a hard time sticking with it and eventually fell out of drawing and got obsesses with music. I wouldn't be anywhere in the creative world if it weren't for Cheryl Moran sparking my interest during freshman year, when I realized I was better than I thought, and then really flourishing in Murph's class. Always a great class. He put no constraints on the creative process.. I even saw him listening to some guitar players' recordings as a thursday sketch. Great memories!
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Ian
3/3/2014 10:30:32 pm
...oops, Art 7-8 :)
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Hey all! My name is Ben. I'm a professional artist working out of Las Vegas. I was also lucky enough to have Murph as my art teacher all throughout high school. We've started a Facebook page called Thursday Sketch, the hope is to have a place for former Murph students and art enthusiasts to share their current work! Please check it out if you're interested: www.facebook.com/ThursdaySketch So glad I came across this post!!!
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Murph
3/4/2014 05:13:59 am
Thanks Anika. As I read your blog, and the comments others have made,
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I'm glad you saw this, it's great to spend time thinking about where we came from and finally say THANK YOU! I should have known you had inspired more than just me! It's really fun to see how many others you have inspired to do ART! Next time I'm in town I'll be sure to stop by and say hello. I"ve been thinking about running some of my current projects past you so you can see what I'm doing. I always valued your input!
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Jesse Ferguson
3/5/2014 02:51:51 pm
Nice article Anika, so good to read all the comments and see Murph got to read them. I loved that classroom, I can close my eyes and picture it and smell it. I remember he showed me a life drawing he did and was amazed what could be done with a pencil. Thanks Murph, your honesty and friendship is priceless.
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4/4/2014 01:23:11 pm
I owe so much to Murph! I had taken all of the art levels offered at PHS and was taking the last one a second time. I was struggling in my art journey and got frustrated that I couldn't capture what I saw perfectly. Murph saw that struggle, went in his office and came out with his personal camera. He handed it to me and said to take it for a couple weeks and see what I thought. He taught the basics and guided me to Mrs Schiffer for developing. I fell IN LOVE with photography and am a business owner. I have always told everyone who asks how I started this very story, because he saw in me, something I couldn't see. Thank you Murph!!
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