Tennesee Bonnet

“I’m trying to capture the last flicker of light of the past, the character and depth of the people of yesterday. I don’t know what an artist’s job is exactly. I do know I’m trying to capture something that is almost lost – fading fast.”
~ Paul Murray

In pencil and in paint, Paul Murray records the everyday lives of a few who remain hidden from this world. The Southern Appalachian mountain folk and the rural Canadian farmer, whose recluse or pioneer lifestyle, are detailed in Murray’s timeless faces.

“Murray is interested in the simple lives of his subjects in this complex age. His desire is to preserve the heritage and traditions of our forebears. This is not merely a nostalgic journey, but a chance to remember time-honored values. Murray continues to capture on canvas the inner beauty and the essence of these people. Many of his subjects live their entire lives without what the modern world considers necessities, such as electricity and running water.” *(quote from Jay Demier – Louise, writer of his book “Mirrored Souls”)