By Janet Rodgers
Please join these remarkable artists as they close their spring season in San Miguel.
Saturday, April 22, will mark the closing evening of Christus Murphy’s exhibition of paintings and fine art giclee prints at Bordello Galería, located in the common rooms at Casa de la Noche, Organos 19, Centro. The paintings and giclee prints depicting florals, landscapes, and heads will be offered that evening at a “final night” discount. At that time, you can meet the artist at his reception from 5-7pm.
Sunday, April 23 at 5pm will be the closing night of Janet’s “inspiring” and “moving” solo performance,
GUT, at Casa de la Noche’s White Lantern Salon. This true story of Irena Gut, a courageous young Catholic Polish girl who risks everything to save countless Jewish lives from extermination by the Nazis during World War II, is told in poetry and prose in a captivating 50-minute story of love, compassion, and human respect.
Janet and Christus met 51 years ago in Boston and have enjoyed pursuing their individual artistic forms with passion while making their homes in the U.S., Romania, Greece and, most recently, San Miguel. This will be their fourth stay in San Miguel. Both Janet and Christus love coming back as often as possible and sharing their talents with this rich artistic community.
Christus has been painting for 85 years! He began his artistic life at the age of 8 when his teachers recognized his talents and arranged for him to take art lessons. After graduating from Massachusetts College of Art in the early 1950s, Christus traveled to Italy, where he painted and studied the works of the Italian Byzantine and Renaissance masters, finally heading to the Canary Islands where he had a sold-out exhibition of paintings. In 1995 he was welcomed into the vibrant Richmond, Virginia, art scene by former San Miguel resident and gallery owner, Martha Mabey. As Martha described Christus’ work, “It is impossible to be in the presence of paintings by Christus Murphy without having an emotional reaction…Vitality and appreciation of life permeate each of his paintings. In his hand, oil paint becomes alive. It flows. It moves. It curves, swishes, and dances.”
Janet is a world-traveled writer, theatre artist, Fulbright Scholar, teacher, and actress. In the 1970s and early 1980s she played leading classical roles with the Boston Shakespeare Company and Boston’s Lyric Stage. In addition to her acting, Janet has taught theatre at the Boston Conservatory, the American Center for the Performing Arts, and most recently retired as Professor Emerita of Theatre from Virginia Commonwealth University, where her specialties were voice, speech, dialects, and Shakespeare. Janet brings all of her rich talents to her portrayal of Irena Gut.
Janet and Christus invite you to join them for their final weekend at Casa de la Noche, Organos 19, Centro, one-half block off Hernandez Macias.
