Tom Murphy (born 1949) is an English artist who is best known for his bronze sculptures.
Murphy is a self-taught artist, starting his artistic career initially as a hobby and moved quickly to an intense period of self-study, mastering a range of techniques in many art disciplines.
Previously he worked in a number of occupations which included; a seaman, salesman, musician and impressionist in a pop group.
Later he graduated as a teacher at Liverpool John Moores University and taught art at the Liverpool Community College. He also worked at a Centre for People with Learning Difficulties. His differing careers and interest in the characteristics of people have both acted as a rich source of inspiration in both his paintings and sculptures.
His early experimenting in painting was finally appreciated when he won first prize in the BBC 'North West Art 88' competition. His big success in sculpture came in 1996 when his sculpture of John Lennon was seen by a representative of major Liverpool Company, Littlewoods. He was commissioned to sculpt two monumental size bronzes of the Moores brothers for Liverpool's premier shopping area Church Street.
His work is all over the city of Liverpool as well as in Chorley, Lancashire, Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley, Merseyside, Germany and New York City. He has also sold many smaller works around the world.
In 2003, he was voted by Radio Merseyside listeners and Liverpool Echo readers as the 76th Greatest Merseysider.
Now his work is known all over the world since creating the iconic statue of John Lennon at Liverpool John Lennon Airport which was unveiled jointly on 15 March 2002, by Cherie Blair and Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono. His sculptures of Ken Dodd and Bessie Braddock, commissioned by Merseytravel are sited at Liverpool Lime Street railway station. Though best known for his large sculptures, he has always maintained his interest in a wide range of art disciplines and sectors. An accomplished painter, he has been commissioned to paint many key Merseyside figures including the official retirement portrait of Mr John Moores.
In 2015 his bronze sculpture of Trooper Potts VC and Trooper Andrews, of the Berkshire Yeomanry was unveiled by Chris Tarrant and the Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire. The Grandchildren of both Fred Potts and Arthur Andrews and many other descendants attended the unveiling ceremony along with Mayors and Chairs of Councils from across "Old Berkshire". Sited just outside Forbury Gardens, Reading Tom developed the design to appeal to children, young people and the military historian. Cast by the Morris Singer Foundry it has a high degree of finish and much historical detail, including items lying on the Gallipoli Battlefield.
In 2016 Tom sculpted a statue of John Ateyo for Bristol City Football Club, this was unveiled in November 2016 of that year outside Ashton Gate and commissioned by the Bristol City Supporters' Trust.
Recent works by Tom Murphy include a Bill Kenwright memorial bust on display at the Liverpool Empire Theatre. This was unveiled in March 2025. Tom was approached to create the bust in autumn 2023 following Kenwright's death.
Recognition Tom was awarded an Honorary Fellowship from Liverpool John Moores University in July 2014. Professor John Webster described Tom's career as to have 'documented and immortalised in bronze the characters that have shaped the city's and the nation's political, business and sporting legacy'.
In 2016 Tom received an honorary doctorate from the University of Liverpool.
In August 2017 Tom was made a Citizen of Honour of the City of Liverpool in a ceremony at Liverpool City Hall.
Notable works Title or subject Medium Date Location Image and Cecil MooresBronze1996Church Street, Liverpool, outside the former Littlewoods storeDiana, Princess of WalesPlaster1997Liverpool Women's HospitalBronze1997Anfield stadium, LiverpoolBronze1998John Moores University, Trueman Street, LiverpoolBronze1998Avril Robarts Library, Tithebarn Street, Liverpool Bronze1998Pier Head, LiverpoolBronze2000Garden of the Church of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas, Pier Head, LiverpoolBronze2001Goodison Park, LiverpoolBronze2002Liverpool John Lennon AirportBronze2003Albert Dock, LiverpoolBronze2006Huyton, Merseyside Bronze2008Abercromby Square, Liverpool, and Trinity College, OxfordBronze2009Liverpool Lime Street station, in a grouping with the statue of Ken DoddBronze2009Liverpool Lime Street station, in a grouping with the statue of Bessie BraddockBronze2013Old Haymarket, LiverpoolBronze relief2014Liverpool Lime Street station and Arthur AndrewsBronze2015The Forbury, Reading, BerkshireEverton's Trinity of Colin Harvey, Howard Kendall, Alan BallBronze2019Goodison Road, Liverpool
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