Combining the Visual and Theater Arts

“Edge of The World” by Pamela Murphy.

Third Avenue Playhouse (TAP) presents the work of Pamela Murphy in the TAP Lobby Art Gallery from Sept. 8 through Oct. 16. The exhibit coincides with TAP’s production of D. L. Coburn’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play The Gin Game.

“I want the audience’s experience to begin the moment they step into the lobby,” said Amy Ensign. “I don’t mean the actual performance, but a flavor of what’s to come.”

Murphy said she was “flattered to be a part of it. I think it’s great that TAP is combining visual arts with the theater.”

Murphy received her BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence and completed her masters at Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan, India. A few years later as the recipient of a Fulbright Grant, Murphy researched painting techniques at the National College of Arts in Lahore, Pakistan. The artist now lives in rural Door County with her husband.

“I collect old photographs and choose figures from them for my paintings,” said Murphy.

Using the photographs as models, Murphy paints the image in oil or encaustics. Surrounding the portraits on the canvas are patterns reminiscent of her study in India, shadows of the memories of the subjects, or detailed backgrounds.

“Each canvas is kind of like a play,” said Ensign. “We each bring our own life experience to the work and each leave with our own thoughts on what the experience means to us.”

Third Avenue Playhouse is located at 239 N Third Avenue. For more information, call 920.743.1760 or visit thirdavenueplayhouse.com.