Leon Phillips
1964
(Canada)
Canadian
Artworks by Leon Phillips
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Leon Phillips (born in 1964 in Spalding, Saskatchewan, Canada) is a contemporary abstract painter based in Vancouver. His practice explores the materiality of color and the physical engagement between artist, tools, and medium, creating works that transcend mere visual experience to evoke visceral, bodily responses in viewers.
Education
Phillips holds a Bachelor of Arts (cum laude) from the University of Saskatchewan and a Bachelor of Environmental Studies from the School of Architecture, University of Waterloo. His artistic development was significantly influenced by Canadian painter Otto Rogers, though Phillips is largely self-taught in his painting practice.
Inspiration
Phillips' work is deeply influenced by Abstract Expressionists, particularly Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, and Mark Rothko. He is especially drawn to Pollock's drip paintings for their ability to be both "chaotic and yet serene with a sort of infinite depth." His appreciation extends to Willem de Kooning's boldness in color use, Mark Rothko's field paintings, and Dan Flavin's fluorescent light works.
"I spent a lot of time outdoors, working and playing on our farm. There is really nothing that compares with the endless space and clear light of the Canadian prairies and, of course, the dramatic sunsets... My work has always been about space, light, and movement. And, now that I think about it, these concerns are probably influenced by my early perceptual experiences being in the prairie landscape." - Leon Phillips, interview published on artworkarchive.com.
Technique
Phillips' distinctive approach centers on the materiality of color and paint, viewing pigments as active collaborators rather than inert materials. He works horizontally to prevent drips and maintain paint viscosity, using specifically chosen Da Vinci brushes that he considers extensions of his sensory system. His process involves working with both oil and watercolor, with each medium informing the other. For his oil paintings, he employs a carefully devised thinning medium that prevents surfaces from becoming tacky and imparts a satin-matte finish. When working with watercolor, he uses excessive amounts of water to create warped, topographical surfaces where the pigment—freed from its binding medium—can move and express itself.
"I employ color structurally, not decoratively, by building my paintings with color while embracing saturated, modern hues... This creates a tension between traditional and modern views, fostering a non-binary dialogue in my work." - Leon Phillips, interview with aliba9.com, December 2024.
Exhibitions
Phillips has exhibited extensively in public galleries across North America and internationally. His work has gained particular recognition in Asia, where he has participated in major international art fairs and exhibitions. In Europe, he was selected for the prestigious Mark Rothko International Painting Symposium in Latvia, resulting in several works being acquired for the permanent collection of the Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre.
Awards and Recognition
Phillips has received grants from several prestigious institutions, including the Vermont Studio Center, the British Columbia Arts Council, and the Canada Council for the Arts. His work has been supported through residencies at the Vermont Studio Center (2018), the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (2019), and the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity (2020).
Collections
His work is held in private collections across multiple countries, including the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Taiwan, and Switzerland. Notable institutional collections include the permanent collection of the Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre in Latvia.
Representation
IdeelArt has been promoting Phillips' distinctive abstract works since 2022. He is also a member of the Art File Gallery at The Painting Center in New York.
