Born Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland 1953
Attended Mt.Carmel Grammar School, Strabane 1965 – 1971.
Belfast College of Art 1971 – 1976
1975 B.A. Honours Degree in Fine Art, Painting
1976 N.I. Polytechnic Higher Diploma in Fine Art, Printmaking
specialising in linoprinting, copper engraving and etching.
Lived in London 1976 – 1992…
1977 Awarded an Arts Council of N.I. Bursary to set up a colour photographic darkroom.
After the subsequent photographic exhibition, selected images were used by the B.B.C. to illustrate the television series Chieftains: Images of Ireland and later some were successful entries into the Irish Exhibition of Living Art, Dublin.
1979 Accepted into Artists’ Short-life Housing in London’s East End, which provided studio space, as well as accomodation, which with a nominal rent enabled artists to dedicate time to creating and exhibiting.
These years were spent exhibiting artwork extensively throughout the UK and Ireland, (see Exhibitions) as well as taking part in the yearly Open Studios (in association with the Whitechapel Gallery).
Frequently illustrated for such companies as B.B.C. Books, Chartered Institute of Marketing, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Fontana Books, Good Housekeeping, Macdonald Optima, Moondance Media, Pan Books, Piatkus Books, Serpent’s Tail, S.P.C.K., Theatr Clwyd, Women’s Press and Zed Books.
1986 With a group of East End artists, Rouge Press produced a limited edition portfolio of linoprints. Launched by the Curwen Gallery with a supporting exhibition, which then toured major galleries in the U.K.
Learned wood engraving and also began a series of very large, hand-printed linocuts (one of which is in the collection of Bedfordshire County Council).
1991 Horoscope Page (monthly) in Cosmopolitan Magazine.
1992 Tales from Europe, book and cassette for B.B.C. Publications.
Moved to Lincolnshire in 1993…
· 1995 Invited by the International Colour Therapy company Aura-Soma Products Ltd to illustrate the New Aeon Tarot Set, a double-sided set comprising 100 cards, 200 images, in watercolour and chalk pastel. In the following five years as artist to the company, illustrated various projects including…
· The Company’s 1998 calendar which featured her images of Angels. Other angelic images were used to illustrate the product labels for the Butterfly Essences.
· John Dillon-Guy’s book Full Spectrum Numerology in which the numbers 0 to 9 have been personified;
· Created all the label imagery for the range of Sea Essences and Colour Essences, the former being representational images of sea creatures, the latter, abstract images that represent the energy of individual colours.
· Worked closely with German practitioner and astrologer, Dr. Monika Renner to illustrate her astrological ideas for a future publication. The artist’s original interest in mythology and astrology has by now been enhanced by her growing awareness of the Chakra Colours and colour therapy in general.
· These influences resulted in the very successful Goddesses for the Millennium calendar, (both editions sold out); and book, Goddesses, A Circle of Colour which she wrote, illustrated & designed for the company to celebrate the year 2000. In this project the 12 Zodiac Signs are related to both the Colours and Goddesses from various cultures.
· Illustrated & designed the layout of two future publications, both of which relate the Aura-Soma colours system to revered practices. Firstly, she illustrated the Ancient Chinese Oracle, the I’Ching which comprised 64 images, the originals painted in watercolour then digitally enhanced; secondly, illustrated and designed the layout of the book Aurajin which allies the colour system to Jin Shin Jitsu.
In her personal work:
Digital enhancement of imagery with Adobe Photoshop supported by layout in Quark Express has become an important part of her work over the past few years.
· Summer 1999…wrote and illustrated an aid to meditation inspired by the Chakra colours …An Invocation to the Guardian of the Colours
· Spring 2001…Cover image and featured artist in The International Association of Colour’s publication Colourama.
Phyllis has had more than 25 solo exhibitions and taken part in many mixed exhibitions. Her imagery is familiar to many people throughout the world, in her personal artwork as well as through her illustrations for Colour Therapy.
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