Janice McMurray
Of the various media which artist Janice McMurray enjoys, printmaking is the most exciting to her. There is an element of surprise when the finished print is pulled — sometimes good, sometimes not so good. When creating collages, she looks for new connections among images, words, or materials. The process is so stimulating that she never gets tired of the challenges or the wonders of it.
Another area of interest is liturgical art. She has created cut-out paper Easter banners and mosaic figures for the sanctuary and painted murals. She also has led classes in interpreting the lectionary through various art forms at Second Presbyterian Church. Favorite hymns, such as “Guide My Feet While I Run This Rac,” and “How Can I Keep from Singing,” have been the subjects of her collage and paintings. An accordion book that she made in response to a friend’s death has been in a show at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC.
Early in her art life, she spent a couple summers sketching portraits in a little shop on the boardwalk in Atlantic City, but that was when she was reckless and her eyesight was better. She now focuses on subjects that lend themselves to loose and curious experimentation.
