Artifacts
ar·ti·fact
noun
An object made by a human being, typically an item of cultural or historical interest.
Texas Still Life, 18 X 10 X 8 inch, Glass, 2016
I began this style of work in graduate school at the University of Texas in Arlington. It was inspired by my formative years in rural west-central Texas. As a boy my memories were seasoned by the muddy waters of the Colorado River, the rugged plains of mesquite and prickly pear cactus and the long hot summers that seemed to drag from May to late October. I have a deep reverence for nature that has always influenced my art. Each piece is crafted with care and is meant to reflect an appreciation of nature that captures the wonder and mystery I experienced as a child growing up in Texas.
I was actively working in this style from 2007-2014, but occasionally it resurfaces.
The Last Horse of Runnels County, 16 X 18 X 6 inch, Glass, Wood, Steel, 2018
The Bull of Concho County, 11 X 9 X 7 inch, Glass, Steel, 2018
The Bull of Concho County and The Last Horse of Runnels County are an homage to my late uncle, Horace Stewart Murphy III. A rancher, hermit, philosopher, fisherman, poet and master storyteller, Uncle “Mike” broadened my worldview and my connection to nature.
Convergence of My Past and Present Self, 33 X 20 X 4 inch, Glass, Steel, 2017
Waiting, 18 X 10 X 8 inch, Glass, 2017
Personal Geographies, 13 x 20 x 8 inch, Glass, 2016
Archaic Vessels II, Saguaro, 10 X 6 X 6 inch, Glass, 2013
Saguaro, 21 X 9 X 9 inch, Glass, 2012
Standing Stone, 18 X 8 X 7 inch, Glass, 2012
Impact, 16 X 7 X 5 inch, Glass, 2013
Pangea, 10 X 10 X 2 Inch, Glass, 2016
Tree Hollow, 17 X 5 X 7 inch, Glass, 2012
The Warrior, 18 X 7 X 7 inch, Glass, 2012
Standing Stone, 18 X 10 X 8 inch, Glass, 2011
Cache, 14 X 10 x 3 inch, Glass, Steel, 2011
Prophet, 9 X 4 X 4 inch, Glass, 2011
Artifact: Vessel, 26 X 10 X 10 inch, Glass, 2011
Origins, 22 X 4 X 4 inch, Glass, 2010
Archaic Vessels I, 14 X 7 X 3 inch, Glass, 2009
Old Forms of Recognition, 12 X 12 X 12 inch, Glass, 2009
Pierced, 24 X 14 X 14 inch, Glass, 2009
Entwined, 11 X 33 X 14 inch, Glass, 2009
Bone Vessels II, 19 X 9 X 7 inch, Glass, 2008
Tangled Up, 8 X 22 X 15 Inch, Glass, 2008
Bone Vessels I, 17 X 7 X 4 inch, Glass, 2007