​I paint in series because there is always more to paint about than can be contained in one painting. Even though I might feel the subject matter of a series has been exhausted, I often return to it after a long period of time with an altered or renewed perspective. Nothing is ever really ended, just shelved for later.

 

My work contains a strong sense of irony and conflict. I seek to capture a feeling for the rhythm of life underneath the arbitrary structures imposed on us by time and place. Earlier in my career, I decided I wanted to produce art that explored universal themes, not personal ones. With maturity, I have come to realize that those universal themes are also personal ones -- struggles and dichotomies that face us all. Most of us want the same things: peace, love, passion, and the continued existence of a healthy environment. We all fear the same things, too, and all the things we fear can be summed up by the word "loss." Although I have often tried to inject a little humor to make these sometimes unsettling images a little more palatable, I hope that my painting style has evolved into a somewhat more nuanced, deeply layered form.

 

For the past couple of years, I have explored the intersection of memory, perception, and reality. The possibilities presented by attempting to visually represent non-visual concepts are endless.

 

--- Linda Murray, 2016