edna@ednamurray.com

Biography

Following a career in teaching Edna Murray returned to University in 2001 and graduated with an honours degree in Fine Art in 2004. Prior to this she was a well known landscape painter and exhibited with the Royal Hibernian Academy and the Royal Ulster Academy. She is a member of the Arts Society of Ulster, The Ulster Watercolour Society and the Ulster Society of Women Artists.

She runs her own school of watercolour painting in the West of Ireland each summer. Currently Edna is working for her next solo exhibition in the Spring of 2008. This will be predominately in oils and will feature abstract and semi- abstract works.

She has participated in group shows and has had three solo exhibitions in 2003, 2004 and 2005 respectively. Her work can be found in Public and private collections throughout Ireland, England, USA, Canada, France and Australia.

Artist Statement

Since I joined Creative Exchange in 2005 the old Loopbridge Mill has always fascinated me, particularly from a structural point of view and it is this feature which I have chosen for my photoetchings.

The mill was originally a linen establishment but was later used by a well known Belfast printing company. All of these aspects of the old building have been brought together in my work 'Etiam in Minimus Optimus Studemus' which was the motto of the printing firm McCaw Stevenson and Orr.

The building is now in some need of repair, but it has served Creative Exchange well for the past ten years. Through the MILL project we aim to capture our memories of the group’s first studio using the medium of print, which seems appropriate.

Title: Etiam in minimus optimus studemus

Medium: Photec Etching

Title: Male nude seated

Medium: Watercolour