Liverpool Artwork of the Day – Tuesday January 16 2007. Beatles sculpture by Tom Murphy in The Liverpool Art Cafe.
Not difficult to find a subject for today’s artwork. Its the 50th anniversary of the first concerts at the Cavern and there’s celebratory gigs going on there all this week.
Also easy to find cavern and Beatles related paintings, sculptures, photographs etc. in the local galleries but just by coincidence we paid our first visit to the new Liverpool Art Cafe at 483 West Derby Road last Friday.
This small but neat and friendly cafe is owned and run by the artist Tom Murphy and his wife Catherine and there are several of Tom’s small sculptures as well as a life-size one of Paul McCartney.
I’m sure you will recognise many of Tom’s works, the John Lennon statue at the airport, Bill Shankly with his arms outstretched at Anfield, the Moores brothers which used to be outside Littlewoods, Billy Fury at the Museum of Liverpool Life and several others.
There are small versions of several works on show and available for sale. Most of the wall space though is given up to other local artists.
Currently there are some fine paintings of cows and other animals by the keen vegetarian Brian Gibson and some very personal paintings by Woolton artist Kathleen Garrett.
Kathleen’s son, John 22, died in a road crash four years ago on new year’s day on the M62 by The Rocket. Kathleen’s exhibition features abstract and traditional/figurative work – all relevant to her life before and after her son’s death.
The cafe is opposite the Orphans Drive end of Newsham Park and is open Tuesday to Saturday 09.00 – 16/17.00