Troy Murray (A.K.A TYP)
Troy Murray was introduced to Premier in 2016. As a young aspiring artist, he found a deep connection with the organization, as well as with PAC artist Jared Emerson. As the relationship grew, Troy was open and honest about his prior struggles with alcohol and drug addiction.
He started drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana in the summer of his 8th grade year. He soon made the transition to harder drugs, and by the beginning of his sophomore year of high school, Troy had tried almost every drug available to him; always seeking to feed his daily addiction.
In 2012, at 21 years of age, Troy had been in and out of various rehabilitation centers, struggling to stay sober and falling back into addiction each time. After hitting a life-altering low point, he checked into one last facility. There he was reminded of his love of drawing and began sketching portraits of the people around him. He started immersing himself in art and daily prayer as a means to overcome his abusive urges. Art helped Troy turn his brain off and escape from past temptations. The desire to get high to survive was miraculously gone within two weeks. With every struggle and obstacle during his painful journey of staying sober, he learned a lot about the real Troy Murray. His new relationship with God revealed his true capabilities and strengths. Troy rediscovered himself with confidence; growing into the person God created him to be.
Troy has played an instrumental role in the development of Premier Arts Collective. His story of redemption and recovery is the embodiment of how art can be used as therapy to heal from life’s traumas. To give back and help others, he has taught art classes to girls in Cambodia who were victims of sex trafficking, led sessions in Cuba, performed in Jordan for Iraqi and Syrian refugees and was involved with the K-LOVE Hope Center, an inner-city, faith-based organization in Detroit. Together with Premier Arts Collective, Troy continues to share his challenges with addiction and the redeeming path to recovery, encouraging others to find healing and hope through art.