By Audrey Levine, Staff Writer
For resident Kevin Murphy, it’s not about having his students make one “fish,” but about teaching them how to “fish” themselves.
This is the principle Mr. Murphy will use at the Art Academy of Hillsborough, on Jill Court, his new art school that focuses on classical training to allow students develop the skills they need to be working artists.
”Master artists used to take apprentices, and they would pass on everything they knew,” he said. “This has been lost over the generations. But this is what people did for me.”
The academy, which held its first classes Monday, was created as a way to offer information about how to make a living in art, Mr. Murphy said. He said he did not know of any other studios in the town that offered classical training, and he wanted to try to offer the information he had.
”I realized there is a vacuum in Hillsborough where high-end art is concerned,” he said. “Some people were teaching art at home, but there was no established classical training. I wanted to teach foundations.”
Some classical training from famous illustrator Dorian Vallejo helped Mr. Murphy change perspective in his career and become an accomplished artist with about 200 published works under his belt, including a Rolling Stones album cover in 1997 and many book covers.
”I was primarily self-taught,” he said. “But the things I learned from (Mr. Vallejo) helped me have a career and changed my perspective. He showed me the right tools to use that eliminates unnecessary labor.”
Within six months of working with Mr. Vallejo, Mr. Murphy said, he had steady illustration jobs, which continued for about eight years, until he decided to scale back on his work a bit around 1999 to focus on his family.
”It is a very tough field, but I had a very good career in illustration,” he said, noting he still has illustration jobs and also has taken up portraiture in the past decade. “I get up in the morning, and I love what I do. I say I haven’t worked a day in my life.”
Opening the academy, however, was not something Mr. Murphy said he planned in advance, but just happened recently when he found the open space about two months ago. He said the teachers in the school system are doing extraordinary work in the art department, but there are limitations for materials in the schools he believes he can fulfill.
”There is a lot of talent here, and I appreciate that,” he said. “I believe I can make a major difference. We’ll be doing very serious art classes.”
Mr. Murphy said he is offering basic and intermediate drawing and painting classes, illustration, manga and college portfolio preparation. The classes are taught by professionals in the art field, including himself, who can offer first-hand information about what it is like to work in the discipline.
”I am making sure the teachers are solid working professionals,” he said. “They have a background in the industry. All the old masters studied in schools of their old masters. No one figured it out on their own.”
Classes are held after 4 p.m. during the week for students ages 6 and older, including senior citizens. Right now, Mr. Murphy said, he has about 25 students and is hoping to eventually reach 100, although he knows that will take time as word gets around about the academy, and he begins to publicize.
”I have asked people to tell others about the academy,” he said. “I think we are offering something special. There are about 12 students per class so it is small enough for individual attention.”
In the academy, Mr. Murphy said, he has hung some of the work he has done over the years, but is hoping to eventually begin hanging his students’ work around to show what they have done. In addition, he said, he is looking to move his personal studio from his home into the academy so students can see his progress as well.
”There is nothing in particular about the space,” he said. “It’s a workshop. If what you are doing on the canvas is not enough to keep you engaged, pretty walls won’t do it either.”
Aside from the academy and his personal work, Mr. Murphy also serves on the township’s Cultural Arts Commission and is working with other members to develop an art exhibit between high schools in Hillsborough, Bridgewater, Somerville, Manville and Montgomery. Each school, he said, will submit 30 pieces of art, which will be on display at the municipal building from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. May 14 in addition to artwork submitted by adult residents of Hillsborough.
During the exhibit, winners will be chosen to receive cash prizes from sponsors Xact Studios, Assemblyman Pete Biondi and Mr. Murphy. These monetary prizes, Mr. Murphy said, will be gift cards for art and photography stores.
One student, Mr. Murphy said, also will have the opportunity to get a first commission by being chosen to receive $1,000 in exchange for producing a portrait of a prominent member of the town to be placed in the township’s new public collection.
The first entry in the collection will be a portrait of Assemblyman Biondi, drawn by Mr. Murphy, which will be unveiled at the exhibit.
”I will also offer a free year at the academy to that person,” Mr. Murphy said. “If you are the person chosen, I think you deserve the chance to rev up your career.”
As for his school, Mr. Murphy said, his goal is to teach students the skills and foundation information they will need to be working artists in the future.
”Art is something you practice, you learn it,” he said. “Becoming an artist is difficult, but the more knowledgeable a teacher is, the deeper the education is.”
At the academy, students pay for classes by the hour, and each class is held four times a month. Each hour of class costs $17.
For more information about the academy, visit the Web site at artacademyofhillsborough.com.

