Phillip is an artist, illustrator and graphic designer who lives in the Kansas City area with his wife and 4 children. He has been painting, drawing, illustrating and designing for over 25 years. As a boy he would draw and paint for hours on end and dream of one day getting paid to create. Phillip is now living that dream, creating award winning designs, painting commissions, and illustrating children’s books. Phillip earned his graphic design degree from the Southwest University of Visual Arts in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Phillip has a passion for creativity and a desire to encourage others in their God-given expression of creativity through art.

“Whether it’s canvas or paper, the blank surfaces I start with in my art represent the limitless potential of creative expression and exploration. Having a graphic design background gives me the perspective of a storyteller. My art is the telling of a story using light, shadow, tone, value, color, and movement to communicate. Sometimes the story is specific and detailed, at other times it’s a broad interpretation of time, or place, of thought or event. As an artist, I feel closest to God when I am in the act of creating. It’s this visual connection where ideas, stories, parables, dreams, and emotions come alive. My expression is not random, but pointed. My intent is to point my viewers to a storyline or a revelation that impacts both their visual sense and understanding. Art that presents a new idea often creates a sense of excitement and memorable interaction. Art should speak and speak intentionally. The mediums I choose are used with the end goal in mind. For each piece I create, I choose the medium that best expresses the story. I feel that staying in one medium can be limiting, so I often switch methods in order to make the final piece more impactful for the viewer.”

Presented in partnership with the Department of Arts & Humanities.