SOLO EXHIBITION

Curated by Heather Moqtaderi, John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove
April 17 - August 17, 2026

Reception: April 19,  1-3 pm

Home Making is a solo exhibition by artist Deidre Murphy that explores how birds, insects, plants and humans create—and often co-create—homes and habitats. Paintings in the exhibition artistically represent migratory birds and their nests, as well as tree cavities that many bird species call home. Murphy’s process of sketching and painting outdoors lends a palpable energy and spontaneity to the artworks, conveying the excitement of time spent observing birds and their habitats. Prints in Murphy’s Herbarium series were made by pressing native grasses and flowering plants, creatively celebrating the “herbarium” method of preserving and studying plants.

Graphic Designer: Jua Kim (Lehigh University, Class of 2027)

This exhibition is dedicated to my father, Dr. Martin Murphy Jr. who taught me to see the seen and unseen in his laboratory.

Event: May 23, 10 am-12
Join the artists at the Discovery Center, Philadelphia for a Nature Journaling. Click the button to register. All are welcome, no experience necessary.

COMMISSION

The Audubon’s Aviary Series commissioned Murphy to create artwork that highlights a bird of concern. Its mission “asks artists to explore the intersection of birds and art as a catalyst for shifting perspectives and perceptions.”  Working with Drexel University's Academy of Natural Science, Murphy set up a mobile studio in the labs to draw from the Golden Winged Warbler, an East Coast tipping point species that needs our attention. Dawn Chorus , silk screen print,16” x 15”  limited edition was produced at Second State Press in Philadelphia. This print is the underpinnings of an oil painting for the The Aviary series to debut this summer.

RESIDENCY

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.

100 YEARS OF LUAG, 100 LOCAL ARTISTS

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.

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Deirdre Murphy’s Woodland Portal Series

Publication November 24, 2025