Choice Words

April Murphy brings color and levity to 2020 catchphrases.

Choice Words

April Murphy was looking forward to a busy 2020. The year was jam-packed with art festivals around the country, with plenty of studio time set aside in between. When Covid-19 hit, the Houston artist's calendar cleared, and she found herself with time — and paint — on her hands. She began creating works that capture the emotions and energy experienced during quarantine. Her interpretations can now be seen in a new book, Covid19 in Three to Five Words: A Visual History ($35, aprilmurphy.com).


toshelter4x4

The blonde, curly-haired graphic designer and artist began work on her “Three to Five Words" project last year. “I would pass people while running or hiking and would catch about three to five words of their conversation. It was enough to make me curious about what they were talking about," she says. “I started writing the words down on my phone, and began painting based on what they said."

Once the city entered quarantine, she shifted her focus to social media and TV, landing on phrases like “flatten the curve." She uses acrylic paints to depict animals doing things like “sheltering in place," framed by vibrant backgrounds. “I tried abstract painting, but it didn't feel authentic to me. At some point I decided I have to paint what is dear to me," says Murphy, who has a dog and cat.

sixfeetenough4x4

With help from a friend, she created a Kickstarter campaign that stirred excitement and nerves. But supporters exceeded the goal to bring the book — which includes a journal section, where readers are encouraged to document their own Covid experiences — to life.

Murphy is also accepting commissions — submit a phrase and a pet snapshot — via her website. She hopes her art will become a historical, interactive tool to look back on this time. “I thought, why not start a history book of what's going down right now? To create something that is historical, but not so heavy, is my contribution to what's going on."

Art + Entertainment
Reyna Group Owner Leads Real Estate Market with Passion and Excellence

MICHELLE REYNA WYMES, a distinguished name in the Houston real estate market, is the owner of the successful boutique brokerage, Reyna Group. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Michelle has deep-rooted connections to the community she serves with dedication and pride.

Keep Reading Show less

The lobby of White Elephant Palm Beach

COVERED IN VERDANT vines and flanked by tall palm trees, the entrance to the White Elephant Palm Beach feels like passing into a stately home, rather than one of the island’s newest resorts. The building is 101 years old, and while the original footprint and façade remain, the interior has a decidedly updated, ultra-luxe beach vibe.

Keep Reading Show less

Photographer Jhane Hoang with two covers she photographed

ONE OF Houston CityBook’s most beloved photographers was recently diagnosed with stage four cervical cancer. Jhane Hoang has been behind the camera for some of the magazine’s most ambitious shoots — including an overnight shoot at the then-new Weiss Energy Hall at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, and a cold rainy shoot at the Houston Zoo where the crew used a concessions stand as a staging area for hair and makeup.

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment