My path as an artist has included sojourns into illustration, advertising and design before finally emerging as a full-time fine artist and painter.

Critics have said my style is reminiscent of 19th-century painters who used the richness of light and color to create atmosphere that could almost be touched. Painting outdoors, ‘en plein aire,’ is almost a religious experience for me. In that surrounding, I employ hard and soft edges selectively to develop the feeling of moisture, wind and the warmth of the sun.

In the city, in the country, or working on a still life of antiques and florals, I get to the heart of my subjects with loose and bravura brushstrokes, elegant and evocative color, and a unique sense of mood. My portfolio includes images of barns, fields and farm houses as well as more nostalgic subjects like the rugged bicycles I remember as a child. My personal interest in interior design and gardening has also informed my art to be decorator-friendly as well.

Image: Reds Gathered, oil on canvas by Rick Phillips