The Woodlands’ Art Mecca Embraces Pop Art and Toys In a Major Way — Ardest Gallery Showcases a Second Life Houston Artist
A Limited Edition Puzzle Adds to the Zany Fun
BY Laura Landsbaum // 01.16.25Artist TB Murphy's "Toys! Toys! Toys!" is part of the pop art fun at Ardest Gallery.
The Woodlands’ Ardest Gallery is set to celebrate National Pop Art Day with quite a POP. A limited pop art release, a limited edition puzzle design and a free Zoom backdrop, all created by Houston artist Timothy “TB” Murphy, are three ways that Ardest Gallery will celebrate National Pop Art Day on Monday, January 27. Pop art trivia on the gallery’s social media accounts will keep the week popping even more.
“The gallery strives to offer creative programming for the community, often inspired by creative hashtags paired with artist or art initiatives,” Ardest’s Gallery director and curator Julie Verville says. “Pop Art Day inspired us to collaborate with a local artist for engaging digital content and conversation, free downloads and a limited art release.”
Murphy is an emerging Texas-based artist whose digital work reflects the diverse influences that shape his creative vision. A late in life, self-taught artist, he moves fluidly between clean minimalist designs inspired by Bauhaus and Mid-Century Modern aesthetics to bold pop art pieces that capture elements of American culture.
Murphy spent his early career in sales, but always appreciated good design. A corporate layoff sent him into a new direction.
“When I got laid off, I decided it was now or never,” Murphy says. “I taught myself the software and started with logos and T-shirt designs. That led to learning e-commerce platforms — both design and backend — and discovering how print-on-demand was changing the game for creatives like me.
“I moved into building websites and designing apparel, shoes and handbags. I’m drawn to Bauhaus design, mid-century modern and even Memphis design group furniture from the ’80s.”
Murphy developed an “in for a penny, in for a pound” mentality.
“After getting that far, I thought I might as well see how far I could take it as an artist,” he tells PaperCity The Woodlands. “I invested in a platform that could output my digital work in hundreds of different ways. Things evolved into providing custom art for interior designers and corporate accounts.
“I realized I could work directly with designers while they’re planning spaces, rather than having them settle for whatever they could find online. I create pieces specifically for their vision and needs.
Embracing The Pop Art Scene
Pop Art launched onto the art scene in Great Britain during the 1950s, quickly becoming an international craze. While famous art icons such as Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein are among the most recognized pop artists, the style is still popular today. Pop Art is often characterized by its use of bold colors, simple and often repetitive imagery, with a focus on everyday subjects. Pop artists typically draw inspiration from everyday objects from pop culture.
Ardest Gallery is jumping all in.
“The five works by Timothy “TB” Murphy to be released by the gallery in late January highlight a variety of images including common items such as dice and screws, with the highlighted pieces focusing on space exploration and a collage of vintage toys,” Verville notes. “We are thrilled to announce that we will also be releasing the ‘Toys! Toys! Toys!’ piece in puzzle format, kicking off a new collaboration opportunity to raise funds for local organizations throughout the year.”
The “Toys! Toys! Toys!” piece is 24″ x 24,” printed on quarter inch acrylic and mounted in a faux gold wood floater frame. There will be an accompanying puzzle that will go to the buyer. Then then there will be a limited release of five pieces, available by pre-order only. Each will be 10″ x 10″ framed editions printed on Fujicolor Crystal Archive Digital Pearl Paper with a two inch mat and black frame.

Artist-designed puzzles will become available later this year as an effort to collaborate with local nonprofit organizations to raise funds.
To follow along during the week leading up to Pop Art Day and for access to free digital downloads, follow Ardest Gallery on Instagram and Facebook. You can also come to the gallery and view Murphy’s pop art wonders in-person.
Ardest Gallery is located at 25200 Grogan’s Park Drive in The Woodlands. Its regular hours are Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm.