Get sold on Suzy Murphy: Artist returns to Aspen for new solo show

Back by popular demand, London-based Suzy Murphy is returning to Aspen with a new solo exhibition, two years after her sell-out solo debut.

The exhibit, “A Place Between Earth & Sky,” runs Feb. 6 to March 15. Murphy will make her return at the opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, at Galerie Maximilian. The Valentine’s Day-themed event invites visitors to stop by before dinner plans. 

“I think the evening will feel like a Valentine’s Day walk around town — come grab a beverage, chocolate-covered strawberries, and see the show,” Maximilian Gallery Owner Albert Sanford said.

Murphy’s 2026 solo exhibit marks her second exhibit at Maximillian Gallery. She will present a 30-piece collection, centered on teepees, specifically designed for this show. Beyond her fascination with teepees, the artist is known for her love of landscapes.

While Murphy has placed the image of a teepee in most of the landscapes, the teepee is not always obvious, yet it carries a presence. Murphy uses saturated colors, heavy brushstrokes, and expressive waves of paint, along with details like shading and small images.

“For Suzy, the teepee represents a very spiritual place that is somewhat of a transition between the earth and the sky. Her work continues to deal with themes of home, sanctuary, identity, solitude, and spirituality,” Sanford said. “There is always a sense of nostalgia in her works … as in, a place that feels at once familiar but also universal.” 

For the latest exhibit, she’s contributing three formats: a group of small oil paintings on board, a group of mixed media paintings on paper, and a group of large mixed media paintings on paper.

Maximillian Gallery began displaying Murphy’s work in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I started to show Suzy’s work during the pandemic because it just made me feel good,” Sanford said. 

He anticipated Murphy’s “grounded and peaceful art” would resonate with people. 

“We had never done anything with this artist,” he said. “We received a collection of her work from London, and in less than two months, we had sold 19 pieces. It’s kind of unheard of to sell that many of an unknown artist. It was an extraordinary result.” 

It led to subsequent collections of her work and a sold out exhibit. Now, six years later, Murphy has become one of the gallery’s most stalwart and best-selling artists.

Murphy is an alumna of St. Martin’s School of Art. She’s won awards and is held in public and private collections. The Gallerie Maximillian is located at 602 E Cooper Ave. For more information, visit galeriemax.com.