Tom Murphy has been carving wood and stone for over 35 years. Much of his work is done by hand using chisels, gouges and files, on softer stone like Soapstone, Serpentine and Chlorite. I actually started carving chalk in school as a boy but lost interest until being re-introduced to wood carving later in life by a good friend and coworker at the Ministry of the Environment. Rod Palliser was an amazing wood carver and mentor who encouraged me to try carving wood. It wasn’t long before I was carving wood spirit canes and walking sticks. I still carve wood but prefer the entire process involved in carving stone. Stone carving is done in stages, right from the time it leaves the earth at some quarry halfway around the world, to the finished piece sitting on a plinth in a gallery. Completing each stage of a sculptures development requires concentration and close attention to the stone in order to control the amount of stone being removed and shaped to its final state. Successfully completing each stage of a sculptures development is a rewarding challenge that ultimately reveals the inner beauty of the stone. What really appeals to me is the final revelation of a stones composition, its colour changes and deep veining that can only be seen when shaped and polished
Most of Tom's working career involved environmental protection and conservation, starting out in private consulting and finishing with the Ministry of the Environment as a Water Inspector. 'It was a continuous learning process that left me with a deep appreciation for the natural environment and a better understanding of the need to protect it. Most of my work is inspired by the things I see and have encountered in nature, including fish, birds, whales, mushrooms and trees. I consider myself more of a traditional carver because I use hand tools for most of my work. It takes a lot longer to chisel stone than it does to power grind and both methods have their challenges. I’m still learning. I have taken some classes and workshops but mostly I’ve learned through trial and error. Every piece of stone is different so figuring out the best way to achieve a certain result requires patients and knowledge of what works and what doesn’t. Inevitably some pieces break or simply fall apart after hours of work. Breakage doesn’t happen often but when it does it changes the intended outcome so, you adapt. Changing the look of a piece or repairing it is challenging and sometimes you just gotta suck it up and start over.'
Initially, Tom gifted a lot of his work to friends and family as well as donated work to charitable organizations. 'I was part a local group of artists in Ottawa where I could show my work to the public and make a few sales. Then the Carleton Place Gallery opened its doors and has been successfully operating for over a year now, allowing local artists to show their work and putting Carleton Place on the map as a burgeoning cultural centre.'
Most of Tom's working career involved environmental protection and conservation, starting out in private consulting and finishing with the Ministry of the Environment as a Water Inspector. 'It was a continuous learning process that left me with a deep appreciation for the natural environment and a better understanding of the need to protect it. Most of my work is inspired by the things I see and have encountered in nature, including fish, birds, whales, mushrooms and trees. I consider myself more of a traditional carver because I use hand tools for most of my work. It takes a lot longer to chisel stone than it does to power grind and both methods have their challenges. I’m still learning. I have taken some classes and workshops but mostly I’ve learned through trial and error. Every piece of stone is different so figuring out the best way to achieve a certain result requires patients and knowledge of what works and what doesn’t. Inevitably some pieces break or simply fall apart after hours of work. Breakage doesn’t happen often but when it does it changes the intended outcome so, you adapt. Changing the look of a piece or repairing it is challenging and sometimes you just gotta suck it up and start over.'
Initially, Tom gifted a lot of his work to friends and family as well as donated work to charitable organizations. 'I was part a local group of artists in Ottawa where I could show my work to the public and make a few sales. Then the Carleton Place Gallery opened its doors and has been successfully operating for over a year now, allowing local artists to show their work and putting Carleton Place on the map as a burgeoning cultural centre.'
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