Artist paints pictures worth 1,000 insights

Bright and vivid may best describe Elizabeth Murray's world-renowned paintings, but they also describe the manner in which she spoke to a room full of Fine Arts graduate students last night. After a brief introduction from Fine Arts Department Chairperson Hitoshi Nakazato, Murray, who now lives in New York City, explained what she did between the time she graduated from Mills College in 1964 and her first public showcase in 1976. Showing slides of her work, she noted the struggle she had in understanding how to get the paint off the palette and onto the canvas. It wasn't until she explored the museum at the Art Institute of Chicago that she began to realize that the paintings on the walls were done by "real people? and that there was somebody home." "This blew me away and permanently I fell in love with painting," she recalled. The large and colorful paintings that Murray showcased before the audience served to indicate why she has had more than 40 solo exhibitions since her 1974 debut. As Nakazato pointed out, "It is easier to count the museums that don't carry Elizabeth Murray's works than museums that do." Addressing more than 100 students in Meyerson Hall, Murray said that the women's liberation movement of the 1970s gave her her first opportunities to showcase her art throughout New York City's Soho district. "The movement was about women saying to each other, and to men, that we have power within ourselves, and we have independence, and we're free," Murray exclaimed. "It was a very encouraging time and there was a lot of support out there." Although Murray could not explain the common theme of cups and tables in nearly every one of her pieces, Nakazato tried to shed some light on their recurrence. "The cups and tables make a very strong political statement," he said. "You really have to think in terms of what is going on elsewhere and what other people are doing that can influence your thoughts." Although she often paints cups and tables, Murray remains on the cutting edge of contemporary art by using bright colors and abstract shapes in virtually every piece. The only time Murray deviated from her usual painting style was during the period when her art was influenced by Zen Buddhism. Throughout her discussion, Murray incorporated facts about the middle 20th century, problems surrounding her family life and humorous anecdotes. "I think that I learn something new every time I hear her speak," Fine Arts graduate student Shari Hersh noted. "She always offers something fresh and positive." At the same time, Murray said she enjoys sharing her experiences with art students, adding, "Students are so open-minded and I feel I can give something to them.

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