Honest Distractions: is a collection of paintings by Annalise Yuri Murphy from 2019–2022. The show is a reflection on the forces we surround ourselves with, a journey with the intangible, and an invitation to create harmonious relationships with our planet, with our bodies, and with one another. The brightly colored paintings and distinct lines are inspired by the artist's interactions with ecology, systems, and human sensations.

The show largely consists of renderings of Flora. The paintings from 2020-2022, were created in Upstate New York during the pandemic era. Their strong, vectorized lines derive from moving light and life. They simplify intricate systems and embrace a zen singularity. During this quiet moment in time, their minimalism and playfulness invite us to question a learned fear of the forest and instead lean into its purity. Often compared to Matisse’s cut-outs, the works are a celebration of spiritual life.

For the first time, Honest Distractions displays Annalise’s debut series Tangible, paintings that reconcile with the emotional body in a patriarchal society. The works depict the body as a canvas for exterior influence, earned experience, energetic vibrations, and the projections of others. They seek to acknowledge, understand, and heal pain by embracing the unknown. No reference images were used in the creation of these paintings; instead, they channel lived sensations and perceptions. These creations acknowledge the ‘self’ as existing inside and outside of the body and invite us to share our intangible experiences with one another. Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there.