My studio practice is fueled by a naturalist impulse, echoing the spirit of early environmentalists like Bartram and Audubon. Rooted in their legacy, I merge art making with scientific inquiry, weaving together threads of observation, environmental consciousness, and artistic exploration.

In my paintings, prints, sculpture, and public art, I approach each piece with the curiosity of a naturalist, delving beyond the surface to uncover hidden connections within the natural world, be that on a molecular level or pastoral. Central to my practice is the recognition of our environment's vulnerability and the urgency of the climate crisis. I aim to underscore the timeless relevance of our ecology and nature conservation in the anthropocene.

I believe in the transformative power of art and the act of looking with sensorial awareness. Ultimately, my goal is to create an open conduit between art and science, offering a unique perspective that celebrates the wonders of the natural world while advocating for its preservation.

Deirdre Murphy is a contemporary visual artist whose work delves into the intricate connections between art and ecology. Through the mediums of painting, printmaking, and collaborative sculpture, she explores the effects of the climate crisis on avian migration, nesting structures, and ecosystems. Murphy's artistic journey has been deeply intertwined with scientific inquiry, leading to collaborations with a diverse array of experts including ornithologists, biologists, neuroscientists, molecular scientists, and climatologist from esteemed institutions such as the University of Pennsylvania, Lehigh University, Washington College and Integral Molecular Laboratory.

Her artistic exploration has been enriched by residencies at renowned institutions including Penn State University's Shaver's Creek Environmental Center, Winterthur Museum, Hawk Mountain Bird Sanctuary, Powdermill Nature Reserve, and Drexel University's Academy of Natural Sciences. Throughout her career, Murphy has received recognition for her innovative work, earning grants and awards from prestigious organizations such as the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts, Percent for the Arts, CORE and Humanities Lab at Lehigh University, and the Leeway Grant. Murphy's art has been showcased in prominent museums and galleries, including Winterthur Museum, Zillman Art Museum, Palm Springs Museum, Biggs Museum of American Art, New Bedford Museum, Tacoma Art Museum, and the Philadelphia International Airport.

Deirdre Murphy holds an MFA degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a BFA degree from the Kansas City Art Institute. She serves as an Assistant Teaching Professor at Lehigh University in the Art, Architecture and Design department. Her artwork is represented by Chimaera Gallery (Philadelphia) and Susanna Gold Gallery and can be viewed at www.deirdremurphyart.com.

Lehigh University print shop art architecture and design

240816 Deirdre Murphy CORE grant-114.jpg

Deirdre Murphy was born in 1967 in New York City and raised in France, England and Australia as well as Japan. She received her BFA in Painting and Printmaking from the Kansas City Art Institute in Kansas City, Missouri and her MFA from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. She has dedicated over 25 years teaching art and collaborating with scientists and is represented by Chimaera Gallery in Philadelphia and Susanna Gold Gallery.

2026 Homage: The Unseen Women of Audubon, curated by Heather Moqtaderi, John James Audubon Center, Mill Grove PA
2024 Gradients of Growth, Chimaera Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
MuSE Museum, Washington College, Chestertown, MD
2023 Nest Alchemy, Pagus Gallery, Norristown Arts Building,
Nest Alchemy, 3 Dots Gallery, State College, PA
2020 Threshold Spaces, Zillman Art Museum, University of Maine
2020 Portals, Boxheart Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
2019 Oculus, Esther Klein Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2018 BioArt Resident, University City Science Center, Philadelphia, PA
2026 Maryland Birds in 4 Seasons, Washington College
2025 Birdsong Mural, Schuaffel Plaza, Ardmore, PA
2024 Flyways Sculptural Bench, Foreman Branch Bird Observatory, Washington College, MD
2023 Visible Currents, The Launch Apartment Complex, Alameda, CA
2022 Birds of Neshaminy Creek, Maureen Welch Elementary, Horsham PA
2020 Stargazer, Charles Library, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
2018 Conodoguinet Mural, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA
2017 Warbler Migration, Percent for the Arts, Aster Apartments, Dublin, CA
2016 Skyscapes, Campbell Apartments, Cupertino, CA
2016 Lots to Learn, William Cramp Elementary School, South Kensington, Philadelphia, PA
2014 Sky Paintings, Philadelphia International Airport, Philadelphia, PA
2027 GROW, Deirdre Murphy & Anna Chupa, Nurture Nature Center Museum, Easton PA
2026 Learning to See: Collaborative Exploration with Yvonne Love, John James Audubon Center, Mill Grove PA
                        Field Notes: Two Person Exhibition with Yvonne Love, Eckert Gallery, Millersville University
2025 100 Exhibition, Lehigh University Art Gallery, Bethlehem PA
                        Laudato Si, Maguire Art Museum, St Joseph’s University, Philadelphia PA
                        Faculty Exhibition, Lehigh University Art Gallery, Bethlehem PA
2024 Risky Beauty: Aesthetic & Climate Change, University of Pennsylvania, Annenberg Public Policy Center, PA
On the Edge of LIght and Darkness, Center for Emerging Visual Artists, Philadelphia, PA
2023 In the Umbra, Chimaera Gallery, Philadelphia PA
Risky Beauty: Art & Climate Change, The Nurture Nature Center, Easton, PA
2022 Transitions: Contemporary Artists at Winterthur Museum
You Are Here, Park Towne Place, InLiquid, Philadelphia, PA (June - Oct)
80th Annual Juried Exhibition, Woodmere Art Museum
2024-2026 Lower Merion Conservancy, Gladwyne PA
2024 Washington College, Foreman Branch Bird Observatory, MD
2022 Penn State University, Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center
2021 St. Mary’s College, Artist in Residence, MD
2019 Maker-Creator Fellowship, Winterthur Museum, DE
2018 Artist in Residence, Lacawac Sanctuary and Field Station, Drexel University
2018 BioArt Artist in Residence, University City Science Center, Philadelphia, PA
2016 Artist in Residence, Powdermill Nature Reserve, Carnegie Mellon Natural History Museum, Pittsburgh
2015 Artist in Residence, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Kempton, PA
1998 Artist in Residence, Pouch Cove Foundation, Newfoundland
1990 Artist in Residence, Vermont Studio Center, VT
2019 - Present Assistant Teaching Professor of Art, Lehigh University
2000 MFA Painting / University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
1991 BFA Painting and Printmaking / Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO
1984-86 Earlham College, Richmond, IN (Japanese Studies / Women Studies)