Murray's studio

Murray Edwards was one of the people I count myself lucky to have known. He was an artist who lived on his hilly bush block overlooking the vineyards of the Clare Valley. Years ago Murray built a single room studio from mud bricks, surrounded by woodland but close to his house. Sadly Murray died several months ago. In this studio Murray worked, taught, sold his art to tourists, laughed, and philosophised. Murray loved people. His studio, full of his work, was never locked. There was a note on the studio door saying that if he wasn't inside then ring the bell and he would "appear like magic" from some nearby bushes that covered the path to his house. If he was away and didn't appear like magic the note said to come in and look around. I spent many pleasant hours with Murray in this building and did not know what to expect when the new owner let me visit it again this afternoon. I took some sterile photos of the outside but it wasn't until I looked through a window and saw the old wood heater that I really connected again. How many hours did we sit around that heater, talking and drinking cups of tea? This photo works for me. It shows the sad empty studio, but the reflections on the pane show the surrounding bush which Murray loved so much.