With his paintings hung in the White House under two administrations and celebrity collectors including Dolly Parton, Philip Gray’s artistic journey has led him a long way from his roots in Cork, Ireland.
Now one of Ireland’s most celebrated living artists, career highlights include winning the coveted “Best Up and Coming Artist 2007” award from the Fine Art Trade Guild and being a finalist for the “Best Selling Published Artist 2008”. Philip was also selected to represent Ireland in a major cultural festival held in the USA.
Born in 1959, from the age of 5 Philip loved art, and one of his earliest memories is being tutored in figurative drawing by a family friend, Trevor Scott, the founder of the renowned College of Art and Design in Dublin.
At the age of 16, Philip left school and joined the Irish Navy, a career choice that would inspire his successful artistic career later in life. Once he had established himself as a naval diver, he began to paint at sea and soon became prolific. He had the great advantage of having a unique perspective on Irish landscapes and seascapes as viewed from the Atlantic Ocean.After 17 years in the Navy, and with much encouragement from his wife and family, Philip relinquished his naval career and took the bold step of setting up on his own as an artist, a decision which he has never looked back from.
The magic in Philip’s art lies in his ability to use his artistic creativity as a natural form of communication. With the extraordinary beauty of the mountainous western island, Ireland, as his inspiration, Philip’s art provides us with the opportunity, albeit momentarily, to remove ourselves from the chaos of day to day life and appreciate the ordered beauty of nature.
He has recently returned from the Bahamas where he painted 60 ft under the sea in shark infested waters. To view the video of Philip painting under the sea, Click Here
Hepplestone Fine Art are delighted to be able to offer an exciting collection of Philip's pastel and oil paintings, along with a wide range of limited edition prints. Up to date availability can be found at http://www.hepplestonefineart.com/
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