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FREDERICK PHILLIPS

Frederick Philips portrait photo

“Perhaps when we are looking at any work of art, as well as asking, ‘What does it mean?’ we should maybe be asking ourselves, ‘What does it make me feel?’As an artist, I believe that art should not be formulated, but rather, felt into being - and that a positive emotional experience should be exchanged between the artist and the viewer. Creativity is a process of meditation; through meditation we can reach beyond ‘what is’ to the reality behind appearances”.- Frederic Phillips

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“Originally, back in the 1970’s when I was at art school, I was inspired by the Surrealist artists and even today, my paintings are not realistic portraits of the world about me. My work is about memory: I don’t paint what I have seen, but the memory of what I have seen.” - Frederic Phillips

Born in England’s pre-eminent ceramics manufacturing city of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire in 1953, Frederick Phillips studied Fine Art at Burslem College of Art. At art school, he first discovered the art of Surrealism and found that the Surrealists opened his eyes to a new way of seeing the world. In 1974 Frederick graduated with a BA Degree in Fine Art and, following successful exhibitions in the Midlands, in 1981 he moved to London and began exhibiting his work in galleries there. In 1990 he was awarded a visa as an 'Artist of Exceptional Merit' by the USA and moved to Chicago where he lived and worked for almost 20 years. In 1996 he was invited to lecture on 'Dream and Reality in Art' at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago and in 2000, ‘Quintessence: The Art Of Frederick Phillips’, a book on his life and his art was published in America. Exhibitions of the artist's work have been held in London, Chicago, Boston, New York, Puerto Rico and Hong Kong and his work is now in private and corporate collections throughout the world.

 

In 2007 the artist and his wife Patricia returned to Frederick’s home town in the UK where he established a new studio; he has since shown his artwork at exhibitions held in Manchester, Birmingham and Staffordshire. From 2009 to 2011 the artist spent two years as a part-time Tutor in Life Drawing at Staffordshire University and in 2012 Frederick was invited to the UNESCO-sponsored International Children's Exhibition of Fine Art in Lidice in the Czech Republic where he joined an international panel of judges to adjudicate 26,000 artworks. In April 2016, the artist was one of the first to move his studio into the new ACAVA Artists' Studios at the former Spode Works pottery factory in Stoke, working there for nearly four years before returning to his home-based studio where he continues to paint in oils, watercolour and soft pastels as he plans for future exhibitions.

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  • 1970 to 1974: Attended Burslem College of Art, Burslem, Staffordshire, studying oil painting under Arthur Berry. Graduated with an Honours Degree in Fine Art at age 21.

  • 1975 to 1977: Solo shows, Pauline Norton Gallery, Birmingham.
     

  • 1977: Arts Council group show, Ikon Gallery, Birmingham.

  • 1978 to 1980: Worked at Royal Doulton, Burslem as Underglaze Figurine Painter.

  • 1981 to 1983: Group shows at Chenil Gallery; Sibley’s Studio; Piccadilly Gallery, all in London.

  • 1985 to 1986: Solo & group shows at 2nd & 3rd International Contemporary Art Fairs, London.

  • 1988 : Group show, Atlas Galleries, Chicago.

  • 1988 : Solo shows at NY Art Expo, NY; LA Art Expo.

  • 1989 : Group show, Camden Gallery, London.

  • 1989 : Solo show, Atlas Galleries, Chicago; also exhibited at the 4th International Contemporary Art Fair, London.

  • 1990 : Granted an ‘Artist of Exceptional Merit’ visa by the USA and relocated his home and studio to Chicago.

  • 1990 to 1991 : Solo shows, Atlas Galleries, Chicago.

  • 1992 : Group show, Newberry Gallery, Boston; Gallery 13, NY.

  • 1992 to 1994 : Solo shows, NY Art Expo, NY.

  • 1994 : Group show, Art Expo, Hong Kong; Hexton Gallery, NY.

  • 1995 : Solo show, Atlas Galleries, Chicago.

  • 1996: Solo shows, NY Art Expo & River Gallery, NY; Atlas Galleries, Chicago.

  • 1996 : Invited to lecture on “Dream and Reality in Art” at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago.

  • 1997 to 1998: Solo show ‘Visions of Venice’, Atlas Galleries,Chicago; Emery Fine Arts, Michigan. Group show, NY Art Expo, NY.

  • 1999 : Solo show, Masterpiece Gallery, Indianapolis.

  • 2000 : A full-colour book on the life and art of the artist entitled “Quintessence : The Art of Frederick Phillips” is published in the USA.

  • 2000 : Solo & group shows, Atlas Galleries, Puerto Rico & Chicago; NY Art Expo, NY.

  • 2001 : Solo show, Atlas Galleries, Puerto Rico.

  • 2002 to 2003 : Solo shows, Atlas Galleries, Chicago.

  • 2005 : Solo show, ‘Travels Through Spain’, Atlas Galleries, Chicago.

  • 2006 to 2007: Solo shows, Atlas Galleries, Chicago.

  • 2007: relocated to UK.

  • 2008: Group show, Troubadour Gallery, Manchester.

  • 2009 to 2011: Lecturer (part-time) at Staffordshire University, Department of Arts, Media & Design, teaching Life-Drawing to Foundation Year and B.A. Students.

  • 2009: Solo show, Troubadour Gallery, Manchester.

  • 2010: Group show, ArtBay Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent.

  • 2010 to 2012: Worked with community groups to deliver programmes in local schools regarding the historical links between Stoke-on-Trent and the village of Lidice in the Czech Republic. Participated in judging the British entries to the associated Lidice-based UNESCO funded Children’s Art Competition for 2 years and was invited to join a panel of distinguished arts-educators and artists to adjudicate 26,000 entries for the international competition in the Czech Republic in 2012.

  • 2011: Solo show, New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme;
    ArtBay Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent.

  • 2013: Solo show, ArtBay Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent.

  • 2014: Solo show, New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme.

  • 2016: Became the first artist to move his studio into the ACAVA Artists Studios at the historic former Spode Works Pottery.

  • 2016: Solo show, Gallery 116, Stoke-on-Trent

  • 2017: Participated in mixed show of ACAVA artists at Chester Art Centre.

  • 2017: Solo show at Two Doors Studio, Alsager.

  • 2017: Participated in mixed show of local artists at Guildhall Gallery, Stafford.

  • 2017: Solo show at Chester Art Centre, Chester

  • 2018: Selected for mixed exhibition at Guildhall Gallery, Stafford

  • 2019: Solo show at Two Doors Studio, Alsager.

  • 2021: With support from The Arts Council of England, the artist and his wife stablished the first ‘My Life In Art’ Competition in the UK for under 16’s during lockdowns created by Covid-19.

  • 2023: Solo show at Two Doors Studio, Alsager.

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