Marilyn Murphy: Magic Realist featured paintings and drawings in which reality is turned upside down in dreamlike scenes, with gravity-defying objects and figures diligently focused on a task—their earnest stances belying what is always, in fact, a very strange object of study. Murphy finds inspiration for her subjects in the popular culture of the 1940s and 1950s, presenting them with an attention to light and shadow that creates a sense of mystery and often incorporates dramatic effects from forces of nature. Murphy was the Art Now featured artist for July, 2017 where she discussed her exhibition in an artist talk at the museum.