Kimberley Murphy-Lyons

Born in Louisville, both my mom and older sister were artists but, determined to be different, I avoided art for a long time. In fact, I only began painting as a result of middle age and life not being a rehearsal, as they say.

I like paintings with a past and I tend to express that through lots and lots of layers. Layers of paint, newspaper, paper bags, script, glue, string, etc.—bringing not only a sense of what may have “come before,” but of that all-important sense of depth.

I do purely abstract paintings, but I sometimes like to include some representational elements that (I hope) are suggestive of the painting telling you a story.

I went to the University of Kentucky and majored in English. I lived overseas for a while, then moved to Washington, D.C. and worked at the National Geographic Society for a number of years.

I still live in the D.C. area with my family and—of course—a rescue dog.