After spending the last few years as a photographer, gallerist, and podcaster, fueled by a love of surfing and skating, Pat Murphy’s ready to further expand his endeavors. Murphy’s stories, peppered with “like” and spoken with a chill-yet-passionate cadence, tell the story of his unconventional rise to the center of the island’s art scene.
Clare Daly: You talked with the RI Creates website recently; you said that you’re bored by photography. But when people think of you, they think photographer. So, if not that, what do you want to be defined as?
TheKingsLens: I didn’t mean I’m bored with photography as something that I do, but more of my perception of other people’s photography. It just doesn’t interest me as much as painters, illustrators, sculptors… you’re literally creating something from nothing.
You’re just seeing the same angles and sunsets and like, the same thing over and over again… that’s something, with my own photography, I try to stay away from. I’m always thinking about, “Okay, well, how can I make my perspective different than other photographers? What can I do to like keep it fresh?”
Clare Daly: Do you think there’s a unique creative community here on the island? How exactly do you think you fit into that?
TheKingsLens: The reason [the gallery] became The King’s Lens and Friends is because I just had all these talented friends who were doing these different creative endeavors.
We were all just starting out at the same time. It’s kind of this weird Newport Renaissance. Now, five years later, I’m seeing those same people, that’s now their livelihood. Newport’s becoming more and more attractive to artists to live here because there is so much opportunity.
Clare Daly: How do you source artists for the gallery?
TheKingsLens: My first gallery, like I said, it was all my friends.
Instagram was huge for me… to just scroll #rhodeislandartists and just kind of go through that, and pick and choose… and so, the first year was a lot of trial by fire, and just seeing what worked and then as it went on, you know, the second year I started to get more emails and people reaching out to me. I’m lucky to have this legit shoe in the system where like, I’m already here.
Sometimes artists just come to me like… a lamp, like a fly, you know. The reason it’s called The King’s Lens and Friends is because, like, 99% of these artists that have come through here are now my friends for life. The “friends” part of Kings Lens and Friends is very legit.
Clare Daly: You’re established, you’ve got people coming to you. How did you get your foot in the door? Did you go to art school? What was your path?
TheKingsLens: I think I’m more like kick the door in, rather than get my foot in the door, ‘cuz I didn’t go to art school. I actually went to school for radio broadcasting and public marketing. There’s still probably plenty of knowledge for me to learn as a photographer and as an artist. The first year was a lot of like trial by fire, and just, like, seeing what worked and then as it went on, you know, the second year I started to get more emails and people reaching out to me. I got my first pop up opportunity at Mission Burger, the original one that was in Newport. One of my friends owned the restaurant. My photography was catching on in Newport, and people were starting to, like, know the Instagram handle, @TheKingsLens. I remember being at a pizza place at one in the morning, and someone tapped me on the shoulder and he’s like, “Are you @TheKingsLens?”. And I’m like, “Whoa!”.
Clare Daly: Yeah, rather than having someone up to you and be like, “Hi, are you Patrick?”
TheKingsLens: When I did my pop-ups, I did this crazy Guerilla Marketing style. I was calling and texting people, I was annoying to people. It helps that I was the kid in high school who threw good parties. I knew how to bring people together, essentially. I was like, Oh, man, this is just like having a party with art on the walls! All you gotta do is get some beer and some good people and then they’ll just flock in, and it works. Yeah, I mean, maybe they don’t teach you that in college…
Clare Daly: I guess, in short, a piece of advice you would give is… be annoying?
TheKingsLens: And throwing parties.
The Kings Lens and Friends art gallery is open daily from 9 am- 2 pm at 7 Carroll Avenue. Find Pat on Instagram @thekingslens, and the shop @kingslensandfriends. Stream Friends on the Couch on Spotify and Apple Music.
