Artworks by Phil Smith

One of my sources of inspiration has been what I have seen under the microscope during my professional life as a marine biologist. I am very happy that my paintings are in collections throughout England and in private and corporate collections in Germany, Italy, and in Canada, New York, Florida and Texas. 

I have been painting since about 2006, and am largely self-taught. I work mainly using acrylic paints on canvas, usually producing abstracts or semi-abstract landscapes. I am interested in capturing the essence of a place using abstract colour to convey moods and feelings about landscapes, either real or imagined.

Most abstracts start with paint applied directly to the canvas. Areas of paint are worked with spatulas, paint brushes, rollers or even grout spreading tools. I also cut through surface wet layers of paint to reveal details in the painting below. Many of these paintings are multi-layered and are worked on until something emerges. I rarely know what I am looking to achieve, it is simply an exploration of colour and form.