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Exquisite Graphite Drawings Walk the Line Between Fantasy and Reality

The large-scale graphite drawings by artist Ethan Murrow are exquisite in their detail and intriguing in their subject matter. Crafting monumental compositions, he infuses imagination into his work, depicting scenes that straddle the line between reality and fantasy. We see a monkey sitting in a boat at sea and looking contemplative as it moves along. In another water-centric image, Murrow features a large elephant in the oceans as divers prepare to meet the creature. His drawings seem to be set in the past because we see characters clad in now-vintage fashions. So, it's no surprise that the artist says he's inspired by events in history, particularly those of the United States.

These works are incredible in the amount of skill that Murrow demonstrates. He has the ability to render the tiniest details and shows a great range of value throughout each drawing. Subtleties are not lost in his work, which is part of what makes them so alluring to view. Interesting subject matter and a gorgeous technique beg you to look at them for awhile.

Ethan Murrow website
via [Booooooom!]

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled 'Embroidered Life' that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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