Shaun C. Murphy

The vast, ecologically rich lands of Bundjalung nation resonate with energy. This local natural abundance has inspired this series of paintings which explore the reconnection of the human psyche with the positive forces of the natural world.

Our life force is energy. We are made of electrically charged particles and can be receivers of the replenishing energy that flows between the earth, water and all its inhabitants. We are good at recognising the visual, aural and tactile energies - light, heat, wind, electricity and kinetic forces. Many of us however are not so good at getting in touch with the unseen, unheard spiritual energies that abound. 

There exists an intrinsic bond between people and the earth that stretches back millennia. Today electronic devices, bright lights and modern living in general have a disconnecting effect on this bond. Nature is a vessel for dynamic force and if we are tuned into these frequencies it can affect our spirit in positive and uplifting ways.

Energy pervades the night in the natural world, encouraging communion and connection. The naked figures in these paintings represent the shedding of doubt and scepticism. It is a metaphor for our mental and spiritual openness and availability to become exposed to a greater force. With this we can become energised and renewed, projecting love, acceptance and unity.

This exhibition is a construct of a journey we can each take. As individuals we choose our own paths. Along the way we can touch base with natural surroundings, become open to the energy fields and proactively heal ourselves from within. We can open the channels to nature’s free recharge and continue a self-sustaining cyclic bond of unity.

Living in the Northern Rivers for over two decades Shaun’s artistic career involves painting, photography, teaching art classes, curating and exhibiting.

In this exhibition of oil paintings Shaun takes us through a journey with nature and the reciprocal effects of shared energy. Kinetic nocturnal landscapes are enmeshed with flowing human and animal forms in an exploration of how we draw energy from our natural surroundings and how we are eternally a part of nature.

Shaun’s work investigates the immersion of our psyche with the energy of the universal landscape.