Walter J. Phillips
Encyclopedia
Walter Joseph Phillips was an English-born Canadian painter
and woodcut
ter, acclaimed as one of Canada's most famous printmakers and for popularizing the colour woodcut in the style of the Japanese.
Phillips was born in Barton-on-Humber, Lincolnshire
, England
. As a youth, he studied at the Birmingham School of Art
. After studying abroad in South Africa
and Paris
, he worked as a commercial artist in England. In June 1913 he moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he lived for more than 28 years. Phillips died in Victoria, British Columbia
, in 1963.
Phillips is famous for his woodcuts and watercolour sketches. His artistic career spanned from the 1900s through the 1940s, during which time his work was exhibited throughout North America and Great Britain. Common subjects for Phillips included the lakes of Manitoba—York Boat on Lake Winnipeg (1930) is a well-known print—the prairies
, and in his later years, the Rocky Mountains
, where his ashes were scattered.
In 1940 he was asked to become a resident artist at the Banff Centre
, then known as the Banff School of Fine Arts, where he played an important role in the development of their visual arts program. Its Walter Phillips Gallery
, which focuses on contemporary art
, is named after him. The Glenbow Museum
in Calgary, Alberta holds an extensive collection of Phillips works and a research archive.
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
and woodcut
Woodcut
Woodcut—occasionally known as xylography—is a relief printing artistic technique in printmaking in which an image is carved into the surface of a block of wood, with the printing parts remaining level with the surface while the non-printing parts are removed, typically with gouges...
ter, acclaimed as one of Canada's most famous printmakers and for popularizing the colour woodcut in the style of the Japanese.
Phillips was born in Barton-on-Humber, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. As a youth, he studied at the Birmingham School of Art
Birmingham School of Art
The Birmingham School of Art was a municipal art school based in the centre of Birmingham, England. Although the organisation was absorbed by Birmingham Polytechnic in 1971 and is now part of Birmingham City University's Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, its Grade I listed building on...
. After studying abroad in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, he worked as a commercial artist in England. In June 1913 he moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he lived for more than 28 years. Phillips died in Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, in 1963.
Phillips is famous for his woodcuts and watercolour sketches. His artistic career spanned from the 1900s through the 1940s, during which time his work was exhibited throughout North America and Great Britain. Common subjects for Phillips included the lakes of Manitoba—York Boat on Lake Winnipeg (1930) is a well-known print—the prairies
Canadian Prairies
The Canadian Prairies is a region of Canada, specifically in western Canada, which may correspond to several different definitions, natural or political. Notably, the Prairie provinces or simply the Prairies comprise the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, as they are largely covered...
, and in his later years, the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
, where his ashes were scattered.
In 1940 he was asked to become a resident artist at the Banff Centre
Banff Centre
The Banff Centre, formerly known as The Banff Centre for Continuing Education, is an arts, cultural, and educational institution and conference complex located in Banff, Alberta...
, then known as the Banff School of Fine Arts, where he played an important role in the development of their visual arts program. Its Walter Phillips Gallery
Walter Phillips Gallery
Walter Phillips Gallery was established in 1976 in Banff, Alberta, as a part of the Banff Centre in Banff National Park. Walter J. Phillips was a printmaker and painter, from the 1930s to the 1950s, who played a seminal role in the development of the visual arts program in The Banff School of...
, which focuses on contemporary art
Contemporary art
Contemporary art can be defined variously as art produced at this present point in time or art produced since World War II. The definition of the word contemporary would support the first view, but museums of contemporary art commonly define their collections as consisting of art produced...
, is named after him. The Glenbow Museum
Glenbow Museum
The Glenbow Museum in Calgary is one of Western Canada's largest museums, with over 93,000 square feet of exhibition space in more than 20 galleries, showcasing a selection of the Glenbow's collection of over a million objects....
in Calgary, Alberta holds an extensive collection of Phillips works and a research archive.
Sources
Further Reading
- Boulet, Roger. Walter J. Phillips : the complete graphic works, Markham, Ontario : M. Bernard LoatesM. Bernard LoatesM. Bernard Loates is a Canadian artist, lithographer and publisher in the manner of the private press movement. The private press movement refers to a printing press or publishing method that is artistic based, with great attention to detail as opposed to commercially based...
, 1981. National Library of Canada, Amicus No. 2615183
External links
- Walter Phillips Gallery
- Glenbow Museum's Impress: Prints, Artists, and Ideas website has high resolution images of Phillips works, his printmaking tools, as well as interviews with the artist and an in-depth artist profile for educators
- artistarchive.com—Listing of 250 Phillips' prints, many with images
- Phillips watercolour sold for £48,000 in 2010