Art show for students in New Orleans
By Michele Mclean
Feb. 2, 2006

A Riverdale painter is raising money for art supplies for a New Orlean's elementary school.

Stephen Murphy is selling his artwork at his show that opens next weekend, and 10 per cent of the sales will be going to his Katrina fund.

"The school definitely needs the help," Murphy said. "There's only been one school that's reopened in the French Quarter. All the other districts are slowly coming back. But many have not been opened yet."

Murpy's show celebrates its opening on Saturday, Feb. 11 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Hang Man Gallery, 756 Queen St. E. It runs until Feb. 26.

Murphy said he wanted to give to the school because a lot of the children there are musicians.

"It's such a cultural place," he said. "I wanted to see the money I raised go to something to help young people get the material they need on a cultural level."

Murphy visited New Orleans last April before the hurricane hit.

"It's a really beautiful place," he said. "The paintings are of the homes and the landscape of the French Quarter."

Murphy said New Orleans really suits his artistic style.

"My work is very wonky and whimsical and I've basically taken my style and put it into the landscape. There's nothing straight in the French Quarter. It sits on a river bed. It's all sand. All the houses basically lean and tip. At night they take on this really gloomy feel to it."

He said he's anxious to go back and personally deliver the money to the school.

"I want to let them know that there are some people in Canada, in the Beach and Riverdale area who are still thinking about them," he said.

All of Murphy's artwork is original watercolours and range from $2 greeting cards and small $25 8x10-inch prints to large $800 paintings.

For more information, visit www.wadadli-watercolours.com or call Murphy at 416-405-8730.