Check Out This Magnificent Mural From Ole Murphy!

Bristol university student and artist Ole Murphy has just finished his first ever mural and it looks incredible! After heading into his local Brewers for some supplies, Ole created a mural for Go Epsom to celebrate local life, which has now been unveiled to the general public. We got in touch with Ole to find out more!

Congratulations on the finished piece! How long have you been an artist for?

I have been an artist since the age of 11. I went to a drawing school in summer back then and that’s where the addiction really begun. Sure, before that I was always doing doodles, but it wasn’t until my teens that I really got into it. 

I never felt that confident at school with art, it’s taught wrong - I never took it as an A-level. You’re made to believe it’s like a competition about who can draw something the most realistic. I think the Foundation course I took at Hastings college really made me find my own direction, I was free to explore and experiment without a strict curriculum on my shoulders. 

That’s fantastic you stuck with your passion, what made you decide to try your hand at a mural?

I was asked whether I would be interested in painting a mural, something which I never had done before so, of course, I said yes!

Brilliant! What were your main sources of inspiration behind the piece?

I am always inspired by children's paintings. There is a sense of simplicity and freedom in them that artists work their whole lives to achieve. I think the caricature effect in the mural really represents this inspiration. For example, the cows aren’t exactly the most realistic or proportional, they’re funny and joyful, that’s what I was going for. 

It certainly is a vibrant and joyful piece! When you popped into Brewers, what paint finishes did you settle on?

The paint was Crown Trade Fastflow Quick Dry Satin, mixed to my desired colour palette. I wanted something as bright and punchy as possible. The paint was then finished with Polyvine Decorators Varnish and it was sealed during the preparation stage with Protek Edge Seal Protector. The wood was also supplied by Parkers, and it was high quality marine ply.

Some excellent choices there! What were some of the highlights/challenges of the mural process?

A huge highlight of the painting was finishing all the marking out which I had done to every board before starting. I remember it was the evening and I started to paint the cows. I looked back at it a couple hours later and had this warm feeling of pride like it was going to make people smile.

A big challenge was the preparation. I had to ensure all the wood was sanded, measured perfectly and protected/sealed. This was just an ongoing task!

Ah yes, we all know how challenging prep can be, and it’s such an important step! Where can people go to find the mural?

The mural is currently awaiting its final destination in an underpass tunnel at West Hill. However, it has been on display in the Ashley Centre (shopping centre) in Epsom.

It will be so exciting to see the mural in its final place! Would you create more murals in the future?

We can’t wait to see what else Ole will create in the future! To keep up with his work, follow Ole on Instagram @cosmicapocalypse