Phil Creek - 5th June 2015

 

As the new president of OVAS, Phil Creek sportingly agreed to entertain the society with a demonstration of his skill with oil paints at the Institute on the evening of Friday 5th June at short notice, given that the previously booked guest speaker had cancelled at the last minute.

 

Performing in front of forty or so keen amateur and semi-professional artists is something most would prefer to have plenty of time to prepare for but Phil took to the challenge with aplomb.  During the evening he painted a woodland scene from scratch using one of his own photographs, taken near Woodbury Castle in early spring, as his source material.  He uses water based oil paints which are quick drying but remain workable for longer than acrylics.  They are also very useful for artists who dislike, or are allergic to, the strong smelling solvents used for conventional oil painting.  Those present were certainly amazed at what could be produced in about an hour and a half by his skilled hand.

 

Phil has had a long career in the arts from first studying fine art at the University of Manchester in the early seventies through to his final full time post as County Adviser for Art and Design in the county of Devon.  He has paintings in private collections in Spain, the USA and the UK and has exhibited in The Mall Gallery, London, The Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery, Exeter Phoenix and The Gloss Gallery, Exeter, so the society is very pleased to have such an eminent practitioner as its president.