I think of these paintings as portraits,
though not in the traditional sense since they do not represent 'real'
people. I explore the figure, as it emerges from my memory and imagination
in an intuitive process. Often, as a figure emerges, I find that he/she
takes on a persona that is both familiar and elusive to me. It is
as though I am looking in the mirror yet do not fully recognize who
is there. The figures are evocative of ancestors just out of reach
of memory. These paintings are deeply personal. Each figure sits in
a space, or environment, that is ambiguous, suggesting an internal,
psychological state. I began painting the older figure with no real
understanding of why I was drawn to do so. The meaning of my exploration
of the older figure has evolved over time becoming more layered and
complex: personal, political, and contextual. My personal journey
with this theme and the dialog that is created with the viewers of
this work are beginning to merge. This is very exciting to me. Sometimes
I have felt that I have lived a series of lives where the characters
change and what is salient is in flux. Within the flux are threads
of continuity. Things forgotten or lost are rediscovered and assume
new meaning. I am interested in exploring images and ideas which create
a sense of paradox.
Though I have worked with various mediums,
over the last 10 years my work has been almost exclusively in the
medium of oil paint. I am fully committed to painting as a vehicle
of expression with an essential place in the discourse of contemporary
art.
My paintings have been exhibited in solo
and group exhibitions in galleries and museums throughout the United
States. I am also included in the 2006 book, '100 New York Painters'
by Cynthia Maris Dantzic, Schiffer Publishing.
This web site will be a place for to highlight
my most recent work. It will be updated regularly. To see more of
my work, look at older work, or find out about upcoming shows, please
check out the web site below
www.galleryartist.com/tracyphillips
Contact information:
Email: tep4art@yahoo.com
Phone: 917-620-6594