Portraits

Here are two portrait commissions completed recently. Back to basics on these using only pencils.

'The Gathering' in Ferns, Co. Wexford

This is a Christmas card that I was commissioned to create for The Gathering in Ferns, Co. Wexford which takes place next summer. It will have a medieval flavour to it, which I tried to include in the illustrations. It will be a weekend worth making a trip to 'Fearna Mór'!

Sarah + Justin

I had the privilege to create an illustration for the wedding invitations of my good friends, Sarah and Justin recently. I even got a mention in the groom's speech! Here are some pictures of the final invites...

Opera Festival Exhibition 2012 - Update

Thank you to all who attended my exhibition in October. For those who could not come, I have included the new paintings here. Any unsold paintings are available to purchase on my website. I have some limited edition prints available there also.

Katie Taylor update

Some of you may have seen this on my facebook page recently, but I got the chance to present Katie Taylor with the illustration I worked on. Michael Ring TD opened the presentation which took place in the National Stadium, Dublin. Katie was very appreciative and said that she was 'glad that the illustration depicted her throwing a punch and not the other way around'! The presentation featured in the papers the following day as well as on broadsheet.ie. Below is the page from the Irish Independent.

Opera Festival Exhibition 2012

I will be exhibiting in Whites Hotel, Wexford during the Opera Festival 2012 from 24th to 29th October. I will be there throughout the long weekend and hope to see you at some stage.

C'mon Katie!

An illustration of Katie Taylor's Olympic Final fight!

New Website!

My new website www.johnpaulmurray.com is up and running. You can view and purchase my paintings, prints and books there.

Wexford Football Stars

Illustrations of Wexford manager Jason Ryan and player Ben Brosnan

President Michael D Higgins

Illustration of Michael D Higgins. Prints available here

Graffiti

An illustration of 'Graffiti' for a window of a bakery in Dublin. The owner of Il Valentino wanted to show off the industrial feel of the Dublin Docklands area with its modern sculpture and graffiti covered walls. Now, how long before it gets graffitied over.

Annual Report Cover for Grant Thornton

The finished illustration for the cover of Grant Thornton's Annual Report.

Opera Festival Exhibition (2)

Thank you to everybody who was able to make it to the exhibition last week. For anyone who could not I have posted the exhibition in its entirety here. Enjoy!

Opera Festival Exhibition (1)

Live Tonight Sold-Out
My first solo exhibition, taking place at Whites Hotel Wexford. Running from 29th October to November 5th 2011, I will be exhibiting a variety of images including a selection of Wexford landscapes. Drop in if you are in the area.

Hendrix the Dog

Hendrix, off the sofa, and onto your blanket!

Pinnochio

Wood you like to dance?
A new version of an old classic, 'Pinnochio'.

Dublin City of Science 2012

This is an illustration that I have worked on to celebrate Dublin being chosen as the City of Science for 2012. It merges the ideas of modern Dublin, in the form of the newly built Samuel Beckett bridge in the Dublin Docklands, and the DNA strand of science.

Sketchbook: River Manor Hotel in Stellenbosch S.A.

This is the one of the oldest buildings in Stellenbosch, South Africa. It is of Dutch origin. It is now the River Manor Boutique Hotel, in which we had the pleasure of staying at.

Commission: The Bridge in Bunclody, Co Wexford

For those of you who are familiar with Bunclody, and more specifically the bridge over the River Slaney, this is an illustration I was recently commissioned to do. I travelled across this bridge every morning and evening on the way to/from the FCJ secondary school so it was a treat to study it properly.