‘Making Art’ at the Art Academy of Hillsborough

“Great artists are not born; they are made.”

That is the foundation upon which Kevin Murphy has based the Art Academy of Hillsborough. Murphy opened the academy about a year and a half ago, sharing his platform with dedicated individuals looking for a serious art education, from beginners to advanced artists, ages six to 72.

An internationally recognized, award-winning portrait painter and illustrator, Murphy believes he can teach anyone who wants to learn to “make art.”

But how did a man who describes himself as “practically illiterate” when he graduated high school in the Bronx become a successful artist?

Murphy recalls that, after graduation, a friend gave him a book that he began reading on the train ride to and from his job as a union carpenter.

“I got hooked,” he says, and spent the next three years of his commute with some type of reading material. He even took a speed reading course and was up to 160 pages an hour—the equivalent of a book a day.

“If you can read, there’s nothing you can’t learn,” Murphy stresses.

His new-found love of reading—particularly science fiction—led to a career creating book covers for science fiction and fantasy books.

“I decided to do something that I enjoy,” he says.

After what he considered a non-productive semester at the School of Visual Arts and a year painting on his own, Murphy felt he needed a different kind of help. He spent some time with a New Jersey artist and soon found himself painting 12-15 hours a day. His first professional job—a cover for a major publishing company— followed.

Since then, Murphy has completed illustrations for about 250 published works as well as work for National Geographic, Lucas Arts, RJ Reynolds, the Rolling Stones—he won the prestigious commission to do the cover of their Bridges to Babylon CD—and numerous portraits.

He and his family moved to the township about 4 years ago—“I like the way Hillsborough feels,” he explained—and quickly became involved in the community. He also felt there was a void in the area and decided to open the Art Academy of Hillsborough.

“It’s not a matter of talent. These are all learned skills,” he says of his approach. “If you put in the time and energy, you can succeed. The quality of what you are producing reflects the commitment. Creating meaningful art is very similar to surgery. You have to understand such things as the science of how light works and anatomy.”

Murphy is very proud of the broad range of students from all works of life who attend the academy. From the high school students who build a solid classification foundation and the mother who saw what her child accomplished to the grandmother who is determined to paint her grandchildren, he reiterates, “I can teach anyone who wants to learn to do this.”

During the group classes, students work on their own projects and at their own pace, breaking each aspect into easily digestible parts.

“It’s not a team sport,” Murphy points out, noting that he focuses on giving students strong foundations and letting them “investigate on their own.”

He often refers to “making art,” explaining that each individual should “labor to do the best that you can. You don’t judge something till it’s complete and it’s not complete until you say it is.”

 “I love being in here. I love the results I see. I wake up every morning looking forward to what I do,” Murphy admits.

As a member of the township’s Cultural Arts Commission, Murphy is involved in its annual art show. In addition to helping to build a local art collection, 16-year-old Kathleen Fritz won a one-year apprenticeship at the Art Academy of Hillsborough and is currently collaborating with her mentor on a major portrait commission of several admirals.

Murphy says, “I love continuing the tradition to taking on students and handing down the skills.”