Design and Art Australia Online

Murray was a woodcarver and sculptor based in Western Australia. It is not known how Murray received his training, though he possibly took some classes at Perth Technical School as rehabilitation having served in World War I. Before the war he had been a waiter at Parliament House. Murray taught woodcarving at Perth, Midland and Fremantle Technical Schools in the 1920s. He took some of James W.R. Linton’s classes in 1921 when the latter was on Long Service Leave.

Murray entered a competition to sculpt a statue of Sir John Forrest for Kings Park. According to his daughter, he submitted a model, which she claims, won 'a competition’ but because of a London contact of a parliamentarian, Sir Bertram MacKennal was asked to do it instead. The Kings Park records note that none of the local sculptor’s work was considered satisfactory. Murray exhibited a bust of Sir John Forrest with the West Australian Society of Arts in 1925. He died on 26 February 1971 aged 82 in Mt Pleasant.

Writers:

Dr Dorothy Erickson

Date written:

2010

Last updated:

2011