Marvin “Murf” Murphy is celebrating 30 consecutive years as a participating artist in Howard Alan Events (HAE). Starting with Boca Fest in 1988, the Weston resident was one of a handful of artists outside the Town Center Mall. As the HAE events grew, so did Murf’s reputation and skill. Eventually, he would quit his day job to become a full-time artist while raising four artists of his own. This month, Murf’s daughter Tyler will follow in her father’s footsteps and launch her artistic career during the 18th Annual Downtown Delray Beach Thanksgiving Art Festival on November 25 – 26.  The Rickie Report shares the details and some sneak peeks.

18th Annual

Downtown Delray Beach Thanksgiving Weekend Art Festival

Saturday, November 25  &  Sunday, November 26

10 -5  Both Days

Free Admission

Navigation address:   201 E Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach, FL

“Fire and Ice” acrylic palette knife and brush painting by Murf

Back in 1988, Murf was a professional window-tint technician, working on both vehicles and commercial buildings. Naturally artistic, he began adding differing tint hues, cut into nautical shapes over the darker or lighter base tints. His tint “scenes” became a hit, and he used this technique to create art deco framed panels, which he would sell on occasion during indoor mall art shows. During the Erte era, Murf’s work quickly became highly sought, with entire yachts festooned with the young tinter’s work. When Howard Alan began producing art shows in South Florida, Murf was one of his first artists. Las Olas Art Fair, Downtown Delray Beach Festival of the Arts – Murf was a mainstay, and his art evolved along with the shows themselves.

Murf Murphy’s Art At A Howard Alan Art Festival

Howard Alan took his art festival shows on the road during the hot summer months, touring Chicago, Ohio, Colorado and others, and Murf and his wife Rhonda toured with him. By 1990, Murf’s work evolved to 3-D creations and he was able to devote himself to his art full-time. That same year he and Rhonda had their first daughter, Alanna. Brittany was born two years later, followed by daughter Tyler in 1995 and Kelsi in 1997. Throughout that time, he and his four daughters were on the road every summer, touring with HAE from one show to the next. The Festivals gave the Murphy family the chance to see the country, meet hundreds of other artists and spend quality time together.

The Artistic and Creative Murphy Family

Murf’s artistic success grew over the decades and many of his designs have been added to the collections of noted musicians and public figures including Richard Elliot, Dav Koz and President Clinton. Murf was invited in 2006 to the U.N. Ambassadors Ball for a special farewell celebration in honor of then U.N. Secretary-General and Nobel Peace Prize winner Kofi Annan. Murf’s original painting “In a Perfect World” was the feature piece for the event. He also presented the new U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon with his “Earth Island” lithograph in 2010, and was thanked by Vice President Al Gore for Murf’s commitment to environmental preservation.

Artwork by Murf Murphy

All of Murf’s four daughters grew up to be talented artists themselves, with different skills in varying mediums. Daughter, Tyler, a gifted photographer and recent UF journalism school graduate, will follow in her father’s footsteps with a booth of her own during the 18th Annual Downtown Delray Beach Thanksgiving Art Festival. While many practice art as a hobby during non-working hours, Murf credits festivals like Howard Alan’s for giving him a lifelong career that not only supported his family, but also nurtured a love and appreciation for the artist life in the next generation.

“City of Roses” by Tyler Murphy

See Murf and his daughter Tyler during the 18th Annual Downtown Delray Beach Thanksgiving Art Festival November 25 – 26 from 10 am to 5 pm both days. Murf will also be participating in the 30th Anniversary Las Olas Art Fair January 6 – 7, 2018.

Visit www.artfestival.com for more information.

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Rickie Leiter, Publisher

Rickie@therickiereport.com   561-537-0291

17019 SW Sapri Way   Port St. Lucie, FL 34986