Squirm 10

Leon Phillips is a Canadian artist who experiments with the materiality of colour, displaying its structural rather than merely decorative function. Based in Vancouver, Phillips grew up on a farm in Saskatchewan, exploring nature and its shades. He holds a Bachelor of Arts and a second degree in Environmental Studies. His art practice shows a physical engagement in colour properties and his studio’s working tools. Brushes, pigments, and the artist’s own body are never inert materials: they collaborate to create dynamic and swirling objects. Phillips’ paintings have been exhibited in several public galleries in Canada and USA and have been awarded by the British Columbia Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts. In 2021, he also participated in the “Mark Rothko” International Painting Symposium in Latvia (Europe), becoming part of Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre's permanent collection. Leon Phillips’ paintings are more than colourful and abstract images: they are tangible presences.