After 54 years of painting and 40 exhibitions in Canada and Europe, J. David Murphy reflects on the culmination of his artistic journey with a show at The Gallery at L.E. Shore — located in the region where he spent his childhood. This retrospective exhibition showcases a wide-ranging collection of his favorite works: impressionistic Northern Ontario landscapes, European urbanscapes, abstract pieces, and a few unexpected surprises. We invite you to celebrate a remarkable legacy of artistic discovery and expression.
Exhibit Schedule
Opens: January 3, 2026
Grand Reception: January 10 | 2-4pm | Learn more
Meet & Greet: January 24 | 1-3pm | Learn more
Closes: January 27 at 5pm
About the Artist
J. David Murphy was born in Barrie, Ontario, Canada in 1948. He obtained a B.A. (Hons.) and law degree (J.D.) from the University of Toronto, and an M.Sc. from the London School of Economics (University of London). Pursuing a career across the world, he was a partner at a prestigious international law firm based in Toronto, a law professor at the University of Hong Kong from 1989 to 1996, and a high court judge in the Cayman Islands from 1996 to 2000. He retired in 2000 to live in Europe, and moved back to Barrie, Ontario, in 2013.
Mr. Murphy has been painting since the early 1970’s but has become a respected and established artist by an unusual route. During his time in law school, he was inspired by the famous early 20th century Canadian school of post-impressionist landscape painters, Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven, and began to experiment with oils as a diversion from his studies. Later, while practicing commercial litigation in Toronto in the 1980’s, he led a “secret life”, taking night art classes from noted teachers in various Toronto institutions (including Danforth Technical School, the Cedar Ridge Art Centre and the Art Gallery of Ontario), and showing his work in collective exhibitions. He benefitted from advice received from various inspirational painting mentors and colleagues.
During Murphy’s years in Hong Kong as a law professor, he experimented with watercolour and took classes in Chinese brush painting and art restoration. He also developed a research specialty in art law, published numerous scholarly articles on the subject and lectured worldwide. He is the author of a book exploring the legal aspects of the trade in Chinese art, published by Oxford University Press.
Much of Murphy’s work in oil features boldly-coloured northern Canadian wilderness landscapes, which have been exhibited in commercial galleries and exhibitions in Canada. However, he has also completed a series of European urbanscapes for European exhibitions while living in Malta. Murphy has had several one-man shows, as well as many other exhibitions in Canada and Europe, and his work can be found in public and private collections.
Murphy’s artistic approach has been praised for its vibrant colour, colour combinations and subtle values and tones.
