My name is Steve Murray and I was born in Dumbarton on the west coast of Scotland in 1944. Since primary school art was always a love of mine, never less in those days the sciences and field of mathematics took academic precedence at my secondary school, only then to be eclipsed by a career in professional football (soccer) - the true passion in my life at that time.

My football career began at the age of 17 with Dundee F.C. on the east coast of Scotland. Throughout a 13 year playing career I undertook a correspondence course in art with the 'ICS of Art', encouraging me to make a successful foray into drawing caricatures of footballing colleagues at that time. A number of these caricatures were submitted and published in both local and national newspapers. It was at that time in football that I completed my first oil painting in 1964 (Click to view a a press cutting from that time with a small B+W of that early work).

A successful and rewarding career in football started first with Dundee F.C. ('63 - '70) then Aberdeen F.C. ('70 - '73). Moving back to Glasgow on the west coast, near my birth place, in 1973 I finished my playing career with Celtic F.C. During my time in the game I was proud to be caped by Scotland at both under 23's and full international level. Unfortunately at the height of playing a toe injury at the age of 30 forced me to retire prematurely from 'the beautiful game'.

After the disappointment of a early end to my professional playing I undertook a 3 year accountancy degree at what is now known as Abertay university (Dundee). This lead to approximately 20 years in management with the then T.S.B. (Trustees Savings Bank) and following it's merger, the newly formed Lloyds TSB.

Throughout my 35+ year in football and then banking I continued to sketch and paint, culminating in the catalogue of images on this website.

Most ex-footballers write biographies about their footballing days, I have chosen to express my own biographical experiences in the terms of 'My Art', which has emerged and developed throughout my working life.