From March 2-29, 2018, New City Arts presents The Practice of Process, works by Frank Phillips.
New City Arts' Welcome Gallery
114 3rd St. NE, Charlottesville, VA 22902
First Fridays
March 2 from 5-7:30 PM. Artist talk at 6 PM.
Gallery Hours
Noon-4 PM, Monday-Friday
Brown Bag Lunch with the Artist
Wednesday, March 7 from 12-1 PM.
Sponsors
Welcome Gallery Exhibit Opening Receptions are presented by Northwestern Mutual and sponsored by Ting and Keevil & Keevil.
Exhibition Statement (provided by the artist)
Sketches and studies keep me connected with the direct and physical process of producing larger pieces. Sometimes the activity serves as an exercise for staying in creative shape, and at other times I’m diagramming blueprints or testing out color ideas for scaled-up work. Regardless of the reason, and whether or not an end painting visibly connects to a specific study, the cumulative process of production, consciously and subconsciously, informs decisions on the canvas. Sketching is the integral catalyst of my process; it allows me to make notes for and on immediate ideas, without cracking open a single jar of paint.
Because they are quick ideas, the sketches don't feel as labored, as precious, or as “important,” as the large pieces. If a tiny drawing was weak or unresolved, it didn’t matter; there was always another page to turn in the notebook. Studies offer up another [slightly larger] size for working; not too big, not too small, as they say.
Studies allow for the opportunity at composition exploration, using color and marks on a bit more real estate... and they can take the abuse that comes with experimentation.
But they all relate... sketches, studies, and larger works... they are the record and the balance between impulsive and patient, trial and error.
About the Artist (provided by the artist)
Frank P. Phillips has been professionally creating art for over 20 years. He lives with his wife Meg, their daughter Bess, and a brood of animals, splitting time between Alexandria and Charlottesville. Phillips works at Episcopal High School, where he teaches Introduction to the Arts, Painting, Drawing, Photography, AP Studio Art, and Art History. He received his BA with High Honors from Hobart College in 1997, and received his MFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2005. At Hobart, Phillips was a decorated member of the Men’s Varsity Soccer team. Currently, he is an avid squash player. At Episcopal, Frank Phillips utilizes his athletic experience to coach soccer and squash. His passion for competition and physical activity directly influences his artwork. The paintings and drawings are products of his very physical process, and he embraces the work involved.In addition to teaching and coaching, Frank Phillips has been a member of the design team that developed the plans for the new $10 million arts facility at Episcopal High School. After years of planning, the fully integrated arts facility was opened in September 2003. Within the EHS Ainslie Arts Center, Phillips has been a director and curator of the Angie Newman Johnson Gallery. He has managed the operations of scheduling, artist selection, marketing, and installation. Phillips has been heavily involved in all Angie Newman Johnson Gallery shows; those featured include Will Mebane, Rob Evans, and Billy Sullivan. He has curated exhibitions of work by Sam Gilliam, Timothy App, David A. Douglas, Ed McHugh, John C. Menihan, and Russell Horvath.
Artwork images courtesy of the artist.
