Avid surfer, free diver, and ocean swimmer, Melissa Murphy combines her love for art, ocean wildlife, and coastal waters by creating vibrant paintings and murals that depict the beach scenes of her hometown in Huntington Beach and Orange County’s coastline. Murphy’s artwork is on display in the John Wayne Airport Community Focus Space from July 16 – August 18, 2020.
“Ms. Murphy’s vivid artwork is filled with color and visual excitement,” said Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel. “With 42 miles of sandy beaches, travelers coming through John Wayne Airport are sure to enjoy the breathtaking beauty of Orange County’s oceanic waters and the creatures that inhabit them as depicted through her work."
Murphy is a professional muralist, graphic designer, video producer, and photographer who grew up in Orange County and graduated from Cal State University, Long Beach, in studio art. She currently teaches art to children through the Orange County Probation Department. “My program gives kids a new perspective on art that opens their creativity and offers them ways to express their feelings,” said Murphy.
Her murals are visible throughout Orange County and Los Angeles in schools and several public locations, including Edison High School, Dwyer Middle School, on the walls at Main Place Mall in Santa Ana, multiple Orange County Probation facilities, and in the Huntington Beach High school Auditorium.
Murphy’s artwork is also featured on a bottle for Surf City Still Works, a Huntington Beach craft distillery dedicated to supporting talented artists. According to information on their website, “Melissa maneuvers the paintbrush soft like a ballerina, but strong like a tidal wave to create masterpieces that cannot be replicated. Influenced through the saltwater and beaches of HB, her oceanic presence transfers through her into art.”
Murphy’s exhibit may be viewed (pre-security) on the Departure (upper) Level near security screening areas in Terminals A, B, and C and on the Arrival (lower) Level adjacent to Baggage Carousels 1 and 4. To learn more about Melissa Murphy or view her additional artworks, visit www.MelissaMurals.com.
Upcoming Community Focus Space artists include photographer Joey Skibel (August 18 – September 17) and Fiber/Textile artist Teresa Shippy (September 17 – October 15).