Welcome

A Show of Brian Phillips’ artwork available through the Gallery

"I began exhibiting work at the age of 16, and have painted passionately for over 50 years, only occasionally coming up for air. I put my skills to good use cutting it as a commercial artist in the cut throat advertising industry until a period of hospitalization with a life threatening illness changed my life. What followed was work as art team leader in a large psychiatric hospital, conducting art workshops with children and the elderly, and the leap of faith to full time artist. Over time I have created my own world of pure colours and drastic simplification of line. To define ones work is never easy, but it’s really all about defiance. I was taught to paint in the traditional way using the basic principles of our early masters. Colour theories are okay for some, but not for me. My colour plan doesn’t exist, anything goes, the more off-beat the better. I work hard to find colour combinations that should never see the light of day, yet still work, in a bizarre sort of way. When you get to my age, rule breaking is a great source of pleasure, a small act of rebellion." Brian