Event
LUAG Community Workshop Paper Gardens: Create Your Own Contemporary Herbarium with Artist, Christa Neu
April 26, 2025 1:00PM to 3:00PM
LUAG Main & Lower Galleries
Join us for a fun and interactive workshop that invites families to explore the world of plants and pollinators! Artist Christa Neu will lead us through a closer look at the beauty of nature through mindful observation, like keeping a nature journal. Inspired by the work of artist Deirdre Murphy's work on view in the Art, Archicture and Design Faculty Exhibition, you’ll learn cool techniques like frottage (leaf rubbing), printing, and contour drawing to capture the shapes and patterns of plants that are helping restore our local ecosystem.
Bring along an old book or journal if you’d like to upcycle it into a special receptacle for your botanical creations! LUAG will also provide small sketchbooks.
Limited to 20 participants. Please register in advance to help us plan for your visit and ensure we have enough materials for everyone! All ages are welcome. Kids younger than 5 years old may need help from their family members with the activity.
If you require assistance filling out this form or prefer to share your registration information via email or phone, please email Elise at ejs421@lehigh.edu call 610-758-6882. Questions, concerns, and any accessibility needs can also be directed to Elise at ejs421@lehigh.edu or call 610-758-6882.
Christa Neu, is a photographer and adjunct professor at Lehigh University, exploring the art of visual storytelling since first picking up a 110 camera in fourth grade. In late 2019, she expanded her creative practice to include art journaling, collage, and block printing. These hands-on, tactile processes provide a meditative break from screens and digital imagery, helping her return to photography with renewed energy and perspective. Her analog work offers a grounded, hands-on complement to her photographic practice. https://www.christaneukids.com/
Deirdre Murphy is a contemporary visual artist whose work delves into the intricate connections between art and science. Through the mediums of painting, printmaking, and collaborative sculpture, she explores the effects of the climate crisis on avian migration, nesting structures, and ecosystems. Murphy's artistic journey has been deeply intertwined with scientific inquiry, leading to collaborations with a diverse array of experts including ornithologists, biologists, neuroscientists, molecular scientists, and climatologist from esteemed institutions such as the University of Pennsylvania, Lehigh University, Washington College and Integral Molecular Laboratory.
Her artistic exploration has been enriched by residencies at renowned institutions including Penn State University's Shaver's Creek Environmental Center, Winterthur Museum, Hawk Mountain Bird Sanctuary, Powdermill Nature Reserve, and Drexel University's Academy of Natural Sciences. Throughout her career, Murphy has received recognition for her innovative work, earning grants and awards from prestigious organizations such as the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts, Percent for the Arts, CORE and Humanities Lab at Lehigh University, and the Leeway Grant. Murphy's art has been showcased in prominent museums and galleries, including Winterthur Museum, Zillman Art Museum, Palm Springs Museum, Biggs Museum of American Art, New Bedford Museum, Tacoma Art Museum, and the Philadelphia International Airport.
Deirdre Murphy holds an MFA degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a BFA degree from the Kansas City Art Institute. She serves as an Assistant Teaching Professor at Lehigh University in the Art, Architecture and Design department. Her artwork is represented by Chimaera Gallery (Philadelphia) and Susanna Gold Gallery and can be viewed at www.deirdremurphyart.com.
LUAG Community Days offer opportunities to drop-in to the galleries to explore great works of art from the LUAG collection and current exhibitions through conversation, hands-on projects, and sketching. Geared to children ages 4 to 94 and their adult companions
Image: Deirdre Murphy. Pink Amsonia. Chine Colle Monoprint on Arches 88 from the series Contemporary Herbarium, 2024.
