Murphy to Manteo—An Artist’s Scenic Journey
Artist Statement for Murphy to Manteo—An Artist’s Scenic Journey
I have been painting the North Carolina landscape for more than 40 years. The current body of work is “Murphy to Manteo—An Artist’s Scenic Journey†and began to take shape as a series more than a decade ago. As Murphy to Manteo has become synonymous meaning “all of North Carolina,†the ultimate objective is to produce 100 large oil paintings that are a comprehensive portrait painting of the North Carolina scenic landscape along the 563 miles of the US 64 corridor from the mountains to the sea. The project evolved as a result of becoming interested in serial landscape images while living and teaching at a university in Japan. I then began to see the entire state as potential subject matter as a result of exhibiting landscape paintings including cotton fields in the, then, Lieutenant Governor, later Governor, Bev Perdue’s office. I was also seeking new and varied compositional strategies while striving to emphasize a personal voice in the post-abstract Southern Realist tradition.
read morevideo by Nathanael Shelton
some photographs by Keith Tew
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“From Murphy to Manteo—An Artist’s Scenic Journey” paintings on exhibit in the House Chamber
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The Start of the Murphy to Manteo Highway, Cherokee County
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“From Murphy to Manteo—An Artist’s Scenic Journey” paintings on exhibit in the House Chamber
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Whiteside Overlook, Jackson County as exhibited in the North Carolina Museum of History
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Catawba River at Rocky Ford Access, Burke County exhibited in the North Carolina Museum of History
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Sunrise Coquina Beach, Dare County as exhibited in the North Carolina Museum of History
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Sunset on the Wilson and Nash counties Line, Nash County
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Looking Down Toxaway Falls, Transylvania County
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Eastern Continental Divide Looking South, Henderson County
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Chimney Rock Mountain, Rutherford County
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Banks of the Roanoke at Hamilton, Martin County
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Tarboro Common, Edgecombe County
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Sunrise Coquina Beach on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Dare County
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View from Carolina Pines—The Fleeting Storm, Wake County
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The Last of the Day at Woodley, Tyrrell County
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Shambley Meadows, Chatham County
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The Plain on Newland Road near Lake Phelps, Washington County
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The Beach at Lake Lure, Rutherford County
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Looking Glass Falls, Transylvania County
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Morning Light on the Uwharrie River, Randolf County
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View from Country Club Road, Randolph County
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Dry Falls, Macon County
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Rolling Hills, Caldwell County
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Rainy Day on the Rocky Broad River, Henderson County
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Winding Steps towards Franklin, Macon County
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Tar River from the Tarboro Bridge, Edgecombe County
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Morning Mist at the Falls of the Tar River, Nash County
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Cherokee Lake, Cherokee County
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Chimney Rock, Rutherford County
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Whiteside Overlook, Jackson County
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Summer Meadow on Cane Creek, McDowell County
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View from Walnut Hollow, Burke County
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An Anthem for Alexander County
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Last Ones Standing, Davidson County
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Sunrise at the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Dare County
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Catawba River at Rocky Ford Access, Burke County
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View of Hickory Nut Gorge with Lake Lure, Rutherford County
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Evensong, Franklin County
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Dunes on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore—Bodie Island, Dare County
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Nor’easter on the Roanoke Sound (Looking towards Jockey’s Ridge), Dare County
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Winter Wheat at the Colonel Thomas Ferebee Bridge, Davie County
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View of the Unicoi Mountains from Murphy, Cherokee County
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Sunrise at Cool Spring, Edgecombe County
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View from Bell Farm Road, Iredell County
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View from Back Creek Terrace, Randolph County
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Creek to Sound on Mashoes Road, Dare County
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Bridal Veil Falls, Macon County
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Cathedral Woods, Pettigrew State Park, Washington County
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Jockey’s Ridge, Dare County
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Hibriten Mountain from Lenoir, Caldwell County
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Moon Rising over the Pittsboro Exchange, Chatham County
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Study for Looking Down Toxaway Falls, Transylvania County
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Scenic Overlook near Chunky Gal, Clay County
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Study for Looking Glass Falls, Transylvania County
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Study for Hibriten, Caldwell County
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Study for Camp Road near Statesville, Iredell County
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Study for Ripening Tobacco, Nash County
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Study for Scenic Overlook near Chunky Gal, Clay County
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Study for Creek to Sound on Mashoes Road, Dare County
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Study for Poplar Spring, Franklin County
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Study for the Bald Head Light, Brunswick County
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Study for Sentinels, Davie County
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Study Cathedral Woods Pettigrew State Park, Washington County
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Study Bridal Veil Falls, Macon County
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Study for the Beginning of the Murphy to Manteo Highway, Cherokee County
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Study of Chimney Rock, Rutherford County
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Study Jockey’s Ridge, Dare County
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Study for Sunrise at Cool Spring, Edgecombe County
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Study for View from Walnut Hollow, Burke County
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Study Whitewater Falls, Transylvania County on the Jackson County Line
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Study Spillway at the Highlands Country Club, Macon County