Murray McLauchlan

Murray McLauchlan began writing songs and performing them in his late teens. After playing at major music festivals, such as The Philadelphia Folk Festival and Mariposa, where he appeared alongside Jim Croce and John Prine, he began to attract wider attention on the club circuit, playing such well known rooms as The Riverboat in Toronto, The Bitter End in New York, The Main Point in Philadelphia, and the famous Earl of Old Town in Chicago. Before Murray had actually recorded an album of his own, his “Child’s Song” was already well known after being recorded by American folk star Tom Rush.

Now, thirty odd years later, Murray has eighteen albums to his credit on both True North Records and Capitol Records. Murray has won eleven JUNO awards, as well as RPM “Big Country” awards and Toronto music awards. His songs have been covered by many other artists, most recently the U.S. rock band Widespread Panic, as well as being featured in high school text books. Murray has been both a radio and television host as well as the author of a book and in 1993 was appointed to the order of Canada.

The most recent projects include the critically acclaimed album  “Human Writes”, released in the fall of 2012, and his ongoing contributions to the popular songwriting super group Lunch At Allen’s.

Thoughts on Painting from Murray McLauchlan:

” I come to painting naturally. I have enjoyed drawing and painting since I was a small child. I have found it to be an existential experience for me. Our brains are always chattering at us about what we have done or what we are going to do. Very rarely do we get to experience the moment we are actually in.  Painting causes that voice to go quiet for me.  When you are engaged in really looking at something, you have no option but to be in the moment.”

“I was fortunate to attend art school at the time Doris McCarthy was teaching there.  She had a great influence on me that informs both song-writing and painting. She remained a valued mentor until her death at 100.  Things she said still stick with me.  “Any fool can paint a picture!  It takes an artist to learn how to see!” was one of my favourites.”

“I always go out with some big idea. “I’m going to Red Lake and paint the vanishing float plane culture!” But inevitably I get seduced by the landscape.  Most of these studies are predictably of that subject. In bolder moments, I like to play with shapes and not think of a painting as any attempt to be photographic.  These are all studies of places I have been. I have a great ambivalence about showing and especially about selling although I have done both before.  My paintings are in private collections of some notable folks as well as EMI music. I have also donated pieces for auction and raised a good sum for the Nature Conservancy as an example.  But I paint for myself and for no other reason.  Trouble is, I run out of room all the time!”

Murray McLauchlan, 2016

Available works: