Printmaker Rachael K Murphy was born in Massachusetts and spent her childhood on Cape Cod and in the Boston area. Her family has a camp in Weld, Maine where she would spend her summers. Murphy’s interest in artmaking began at a young age and was inspired by other artists in her family who had passed, but their art remained on the walls.

The artist sees her art as a vehicle for processing personal interactions with the world and how they fold into more significant issues. She also enjoys making lighthearted pieces in between more serious subjects. Murphy oscillates between realistic imagery and abstract language, depending on the chosen media. Her style employs complex patterns and colors to make up larger, sometimes recognizable forms.

In some of her work, she finds inspiration in how human activity impacts wildlife in New England ecosystems. Compositions juxtapose animals and aquatic life with hints of human activity — whether it be a bridge, powerline, or other intrusion. The concept for the series began during the pandemic when spending time in nature was one of the few safe activities to do. Her newer work explores how we perceive and measure time. It includes “tree cookies” (prints of tree rings), constellations, and human measurements of time.

Murphy aspires to establish a broader understanding of the art world through multiple degrees of study, internships, and career paths. The artist began her studies at The Massachusetts College of Art and Design before transferring to the University of Maine Orono. She graduated in May 2022 with a BA in Art Education and a BFA in Studio Art, and a minor in Art History. Murphy has experience researching and framing artwork through her positions at picture framing shops and galleries. The artist also worked as a curatorial intern for three semesters through the Zillman Art Museum in Bangor. She is assisting with an ongoing, large-scale inventory project for abstract-expressionist Harold Garde’s life work that includes over 5000 pieces. These experiences have exposed Murphy to artists of varying backgrounds, past and active, using both 2D and 3D media. 

In 2022, Murphy’s work was featured on the cover and in an article of Spire: Maine Journal of Conservation and Sustainability located at the University of Maine. In the summer of 2022, she was among the first artists to participate in the Running with Scissors EMERGE artist residency program for recent college graduates. The artist is currently working as a picture framer in Portland, ME and is a member of Circling the Square Press printmaking co-op in Gardiner, ME. She participates in events and exhibitions in Maine throughout the year.