Carving is like a meditation for Murray. The work exercises both his mind and body. It requires intense concentration as he sorts out which bits to remove and which bits to leave behind. Both the process and the outcome provide him with a profound sense of relaxation. This is reflected in the shapes he develops, delicate and flowing with simple soft curved lines.

Having worked with wood, stone, bone, and leather, Murray finds that each material offers its own rewards — and its own frustrations. His aim is to bring out the best in the material rather than impose his own vision. To do that, he takes time to understand it and become familiar with its quirks. Often, he must adapt his ideas and find ways to work around imperfections. Yet this challenge can push him to see things differently and develop new, often better, ideas.

The shapes he can achieve in each medium are different. But it is an intensely interesting part of the design process to find elegant shapes that are still structurally strong.