Murray Devlin

Murray Devlin (1924 - 2002) was a painter who blended images from the natural world with text to create works that spoke of an individual's experiences in discovering his spiritual core. He was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and grew up as an only child frequently combing the beaches of Kitsilano.

As a young man, he worked in a variety of manual jobs, from driving trucks (the notorious "Honey Wagons") and paving of Kingsway in Burnaby, British Columbia, to repairing airplanes in the Arctic, where he lost the use of his right eye after an accident repairing an engine.

In 1955, Murray graduated with honours from The Vancouver School of Art, (now the Emily Carr University of Art and Design), winning the 1955 Emily Carr Memorial Award to study in Europe for one year. During that time he was influenced by the stained glass windows of Chartes Cathedral and the paintings of the Dutch masters housed in the Louvre. He returned to Vancouver to begin his career in art.

He became the Art Director for CBC Television and was responsible for such shows as the Rene Simard Show, the Beachcombers and Ritter's Cove.

He was married four times and gathered 11 children, either as offspring, adopted or through marriage. He showed no favourtism and to each child became both a loving father and dear friend.

He discovered the Bahá'í Faith in January 1956 in London, England.

He and his wife Gina and two sons, lived on the island of Eluthera, Bahamas as Baha'i pioneers for two years from 1979-1982. They eventually retired in Powell River, British Columbia where he began his full time art career and painted - some of his art has been displayed in a permanent collection as well as posthumous showings.

Murray participated in the Powell River art community where he put on shows, assisted in creating sets for community plays, judged up and coming young artists and sang in the local choir. He taught drawing and painting at Malaspina Community College.

He was diagnosed with high cholesterol. He died of lung cancer and emphysema at the age of 77. He died at his home with his wife Gina and friends and family at his bedside.

External links

• Permanent Collection of the Malipsa Art Society, Murray Devlin "Eruption" 2000
• Posthumous showing of award-winning Baha'i artist's final works at Newport
• Murray J. Devlin
• CBC Television Series 1952 to 1982

Persondata
Name	Devlin, Murray
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Date of birth	1924
Place of birth
Date of death	2002
Place of death