Q&A with Tolkien Inspired Artist Jef Murray -Part 2

From the Shire to Mordor, Jef Murray’s art captures some of the most iconic and memorable scenes from J. R. R. Tolkien’s novels. In this second half of the Q&A, find out what inspires Jef’s art and what projects are lined up for the future.

"Lothlórien"

1. You have illustrated for many high profile clients, can you take a moment to spotlight a few?

I have been honoured to have my Tolkien-themed drawings and paintings appear in publications of the The Tolkien Society [UK] for many years: first, primarily, in Amon Hen, but more recently also in Mallorn. Other Tolkien-themed publications that have graciously featured my work include Beyond Bree, Silver Leaves, Mythprint, Parma Nole, and Aiglos. I am artist-in-residence for the St. Austin Review (StAR), which is edited by Tolkien biographer Joseph Pearce. Joseph and I recently collaborated on an EWTN television special on J.R.R.Tolkien that will be aired in April of this year.

In addition to these, I have had my work appear in a number of Tolkien and fantasy- themed calendars, including those of Heren Istarion – The Northeast Tolkien Society, and in both of the most recent Beyond Bree calendars. For 2012, I am producing, in collaboration with the folks who created A Long Expected Party and A Long Expected Party 2 (alep2.us) in Kentucky, a fantasy calendar that includes many Tolkien-inspired works.

I have also done book covers and illustrations for many fantasy and gothic themed works, including The Magic Ring: Deluxe Illustrated Edition by German romantic writer Friederich de la Motte Fouque, and Black & White Ogre Country: The Lost Tales of Hilary Tolkien by J.R.R. Tolkien’s younger brother, and edited by Angela Gardner.

2. In an article for American Public Media, you wrote, “I would not know how to live without my faith.” How does this influence your art?

To quote Tolkien, “I am a Christian, and indeed a Roman Catholic.” And, like Tolkien, I tend to look at events in literature and in real life through the lens of the “true fairy tale”, the eucatastrophe, that is Christianity. That is, I look at all of life and all of art as a striving to know and respond lovingly to the God who came to earth in human form to save us all.

Book Cover

Tolkien said in his Letters that “The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally Catholic and Religious work…” And I think that being a Catholic not only helps me to clearly see the “Catholicity” of his works, but it also ties the worlds of mythology, literature, and history together in a marvelous way. I firmly believe that there is a reality that Tolkien captures in his writings that is factual, not feigned. The world that he sub-created is, indeed, our own world. The goodness, truth, and beauty that we are all inexorably drawn to in Middle-earth is the same goodness, truth, and beauty that we are drawn to in our everyday lives; it’s just that it’s harder to see here on 21st century earth than it is in a mythological history sub-created by such a talented writer.

The best way of describing what all of this means to me - that is, what being Catholic and being a Tolkien artist means - is to quote Sam Gamgee’s speech to Frodo on the stairs of Cirith Ungol. He’s remembering the stories of Beren and Earendil and the Silmaril. Then it occurs to him that Frodo has some of the light of that Silmaril captured in the phial given to him by Galadriel, and that Beren’s tale is not just some musty legend. “Why, to think of it, we’re in the same tale still!” he says. “It’s going on…”

There is nothing more powerful to me as an artist than knowing that the truths we encounter in Middle-earth, just like the truths we encounter in the Bible, are still “going on.” We are all still part of that same tale…the one that began with pre-historical mythologies of angels, dwarves, elves, and demons, continued through Christ’s coming to earth, through the middle ages and the time of chivalry, and on through our own days. And we are all called to play our own unique roles in this great, dramatic tapestry that is the unfolding story of Arda.

3. When beginning a sketch or illustration, what is the first thing you start with?

An idea. Not so much a vision or an image, as an idea. Most of my works start out with a mental question along the lines of “I wonder what XXX would look like at such and such a time of day, or in such and such a situation?” Answering that question, visually, can be the work of a few minutes or a few years, depending on the wildly circuitous paths I may travel before I’m satisfied that I’ve found the answer.

"The Argonath"

4. Are there any paintings/ illustrations in the works at the moment, and if so can you divulge any details?

I’m always working on new Tolkien paintings and sketches. Some of these are commissioned works and others are just personal projects and explorations. But, my most recent “big task” was putting together the 2012 Jef Murray – ALEP 2 Fantasy Calendar. That took some serious time and effort, not so much to develop new images as to fit works I had on hand into the themes we wanted for the upcoming Kentucky gathering this September. That calendar should be available starting in April of this year.

5. Is there anything you’ve wanted to sketch/paint but haven’t found time for?

LOL! Far too many things to list!

I regularly reread works by Tolkien and C.S. Lewis in particular, plus other mythopoeic, spiritual, and adventurous works by folks like George MacDonald, Alexander Dumas, Sir Walter Scott, Friedrich de la Motte Fouque, Madeleine L'Engle, G.K. Chesterton, and Flannery O’Connor, and I can hardly read more than a handful of pages without wanting to pull out my sketchbook and “explore” what a scene or a character might look like. My wife, Lorraine, patiently suffers through many a long evening with me buried across the room in my lounge chair, with references scattered around me and a sketchbook in my lap, for hours on end.

6. Out of all your creations, is there one in particular that is your favorite?

I don’t know if all artists are this way, but I usually seem most interested in just- completed works, or in ones that I am currently planning, rather than in older pieces. I think this may be because I can see things I’d like to change in older pieces, that is, ways that I’d approach them differently, were I to render them anew. This doesn’t mean that older works are in any way flawed, just that I’m a different artist now than I was when I completed them.

I also believe artists should always be learning new things as time goes on, and that we should always be improving our techniques and our ability to “tell a story” in graphite or paint. So it would make sense that we are most satisfied with our most recent renderings. And, I suppose my favorite piece at present is a painting of Edoras I finished just this last

weekend ;-)

But, this all simply reinforces what I said before: that if you have a calling to be an artist, to use the talents you’ve been given to try to make the world a bit more beautiful, a bit more noble and more filled with truth and goodness, then you should always be on that journey. You should never become discouraged, because yours is a holy mission and your efforts are holy acts.

"Brandywine"

That’s a lot to live up to, but thankfully, we can count on help along the way - from those who love our work, from family, from friends, and from the One who gave us our talents and inclinations in the first place.

You can follow Jef Murray on Facebook and his website jefmurray.com.

All images are copyright Jef Murray, and are used with permission.