Inside the Studio
Public Art
Birdsong Mural
Birdsong (2025) transforms scientific data into vibrant public art, visualizing the migratory patterns of songbirds along the Mid-Atlantic Flyway at Schauffele Plaza in Ardmore, PA. Designed by Deirdre Murphy, Assistant Teaching Professor at Lehigh University, with assistance from Lehigh Art, Architecture & Design students and community volunteers, the mural draws on data from Washington College’s Foreman Branch Bird Observatory and the global eBird network. Developed through the Lower Merion Conservancy’s Climate Change Awareness Artist Residency, Birdsong highlights the resilience of ecosystems through species such as Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Goldfinch, Eastern Bluebirds, and Common Yellowthroat Warblers, emphasizing how collective conservation—planting native gardens, protecting watersheds, and reducing light pollution—fosters healthier habitats and a shared sense of environmental stewardship.
Support for the Schauffele Plaza “glow up” was provided by Better Block Foundation, Lower Merion Conservancy and Ardmore Initiative
Flyways Public Art Commission
Deirdre Murphy, artist
Katie Bui, design research assistant, Lehigh University architecture student (2026)
Center for the Environment and Society, Washington College, Chestertown, Maryland, 2025
Flyways is a public art commission sponsored by Washington College’s Center for Environment & Society in Chestertown, Maryland. The bird blind bench functions both as a place to sit and as a screen for viewing birds. Scientists from the Foreman Branch Bird Observatory selected two long-distance migratory species—the Caspian Tern and the Least Tern—to be featured in the sculpture, as they travel along the Chester River flyway.
Each bird is precisely laser-cut into the steel, along with their migratory routes and associated constellation maps. These elegant shorebirds traverse both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres annually, flying up to 20,000 miles to reach their breeding grounds. Like sailors of the past, many migratory birds navigate by the stars—reflected in the sculpture’s etched constellations of Polaris and Cassiopeia on the shade roof.
The Flyways sculpture is constructed from weathering steel, an alloy that forms a stable, rust-like patina when exposed to the elements—allowing it to blend harmoniously into the Eastern Shore landscape. The bench is crafted from locally sourced Eastern Cedar.
Birds do not recognize artificial borders; they migrate freely across countries and continents. As one of Earth’s many migratory species, humans, too, are shaped by movement—yet we often build barriers. Migratory birds remind us to soften those boundaries, to embrace one another with openness and shared humanity.
Exhibitions
Here and Now
100 Years of LUAG, 100 Local Artists
September 2, 2025 - May 22, 2026
From the art and engineering of the first Lenape inhabitants, through the upheavals of the steel and railroad industries, to the hi-tech manufacturing of today, makers and innovators of all kinds have found a home in the Lehigh Valley.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, this maker mindset found its way into the DNA of Lehigh University, shaping both artists and engineers. Lehigh University’s founder, Asa Packer, was a creative entrepreneur: a carpenter and boat-builder who believed in a well-rounded education. Built on this creative spirit, LUAG has championed the power of art since 1926 – the year of the first known art exhibition on campus.
A century later, the museum provides art experiences for all, offering dynamic programming and meaningful art education to learners of all ages. Exhibitions in our galleries represent artworks from both globally-recognized institutions and from LUAG’s own collection of more than 20,000 works of art.
residencies
Lower Merion Conservancy
Climate Action Artist in Residence
The Lower Merion Conservancy is pleased to announce Deirdre Murphy as the inaugural Conservatory Climate Action artist-in-residence. The Conservatory is devoted to protecting and promoting environmental wellness and sustainable public land management as well as historic preservation to promote conservation and climate change awareness. Murphy will produce her Contemporary Herbarium print series based on native pollinators from the cottage studio garden and use the forest as inspiration for her studio painting practice. The Conservancy advocates for policies, programs, projects and has a youth education program in which she will participate.
Deirdre Murphy
is a contemporary visual artist whose work bridges art, science, and ecology. Through painting, printmaking, and sculpture, she explores the delicate interconnections between avian life, ecosystems, and the climate crisis. Her collaborations with scientists and environmental institutions deepen her practice, creating art that celebrates the natural world while advocating for its preservation.