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ROSIE PHILLIPS (b. 2001)
I am a North Norfolk (UK) based artist specialising in figurative paintings, with an interest in storytelling and depicting scenes from everyday life. I also really enjoy exploring the dynamics between people and animals, particularly in the context of domestic life. When I completed my A-Levels in 2019 I began my professional practice, taking on commissioned work and exhibiting my work in North Norfolk. I have continued to build a body of work since, involving projects from around the world and exhibitions around London and Norfolk. In 2022, I was a contestant on Sky Arts’ Portrait Artist of the Year, where my portrait of British rapper and television personality Big Zuu was shortlisted by the judges. 2023 was an equally exciting year involving the Royal Society of British Artists’ Bicentennial Exhibition (March), Affordable Art Fair Hampstead and The Jackson’s Painting Prize exhibition at Bankside Gallery, London (July), as well as my first duo exhibition in collaboration with fellow figurative artist Karen Turner at Fairhurst Gallery, Norwich (October).
Throughout the month of January, I was artist-in-residence at The Crypt Gallery, Norwich Cathedral Close, in collaboration with Norwich School and curators Contemporary and Country, presenting my first ever solo show to the public at the gallery between the 10 - 15 February.
My figurative work is an observation of body language and internal states. In my paintings I aim to ‘interrupt’ fleeting moments, observing the ways in which the figure naturally contorts and establishes itself in response to it's environment. Often, I am recalling scenes from my own life; I strive to convey a sense of narrative and personal connection. I think it’s fun to get people treasuring and re-remembering certain moments from their own lives; some stories I would have never heard if it wasn’t for my paintings.
I primarily work with oil paint. In my studio practice I am continuously attempting to introduce something new; toying with texture, composition and colour, leaning into the creative potential of experiments and chance marks, finding ways to isolate specific details and work them further.
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Artist in-residence
2024, ‘CLOSE’, Norwich Cathedral, Norwich, UK - In collaboration with Norwich School and Contemporary & Country
2023, Paston Sixth Form College, North Walsham, UK
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Awards
2024, RBA Rising Stars - Shortlisted
2024, Herbert Smith Freehills Portrait Award, National Portrait Gallery - Longlisted
2023, Jackson’s Painting Prize - Subject Category Award - https://www.jacksonsart.com/blog/2023/04/12/jacksons-painting-prize-2023-materials-subject-award-winners/
2023, Royal Society of Portrait Painters - Pre-Selected - https://www.mallgalleries.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/royal-society-portrait-painters-annual-exhibition-2023
2023, Women in Art Prize (Formerly The Holly Bush Painting Prize) - Longlisted - https://zealous.co/womeninart/opportunity/The-Women-in-Art-Emerging-Woman-Painting-and-Photography-Prize-2023/results/long-list/
2022, John Dalton - Gently Does It Art Prize - First Grand Prize - https://www.kaleido.art/prize/John-Dalton-Fall2022
2022, Portrait Artist of the Year Season 9 - Shortlisted Artist, Heat 5, Battersea Arts Centre, London, UK
https://www.skyartsartistoftheyear.tv (Portrait time-lapse - https://vimeo.com/731561512)
2021, Sworders Art prize for Emerging Artists, Holt Festival Art Prizes, UK
2021, Sir John Hurt Art Prize - Highly Commended, Holt Festival Art Prizes, UK
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Duo Shows
2023, ‘Reactions: Society, Surroundings and Self’, Fairhurst Gallery, Norwich, UK - In collaboration with Karen Turner https://www.karenturnerfineart.com
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Group Shows
2024, RBA Rising Stars, The Royal Over-Seas League, London, UK
2023, ‘Heads and Tails’, The Fermoy Gallery / Shakespeare Barn, Kings Lynn, UK - https://www.contemporaryandcountry.com/exhibitions/26-heads-tails-picturing-people-and-other-animals/overview/
2023, Jackson’s Painting Prize Annual Exhibition, Bankside Gallery, London, UK - https://www.jacksonsart.com/paintingprize/
2023, ‘The New Face Of Portraiture’, Cromer Artspace, Cromer, UK - https://cromer-artspace.uk/events/event/the-new-face-of-portraiture
2023, Chelsea Art Society Summer Exhibition, Chelsea Town Hall, London, UK - https://chelseaartsociety.org.uk/cas-summer-exhibition/
2023, Society of Women Artists 162nd Annual Exhibition , Mall Galleries, London, UK - https://www.society-women-artists.org.uk
2023, Institute of East Anglian Artists Annual Open Exhibition, The Gallery Holt, Holt, UK - https://thegalleryholt.com/product-category/IEA-Institute-of-East-Anglian-artists/
2023, Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead, London, UK - https://affordableartfair.com
2023, Royal Society of British Artists Bicentennial exhibition, Mall Galleries, London, UK - https://www.mallgalleries.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/royal-society-british-artists-bicentennial-exhibition
2022, ‘The Transience of Beauty’, The Gallery Holt, Holt, UK - http://thegalleryholt.com/product-category/the-transience-of-beauty/
2021, Holt Festival Art Prizes, St Andrews Meeting Hall/Adrian Hill Fine Art, Holt, UK
2021, ‘Emerging Artists’, The Art House Cafe, Cromer, UK
2019, ‘New Generation’, The Art House Cafe, Cromer, UK
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Press
Jackson’s Art (Interview: connecting through portraiture) - https://www.jacksonsart.com/blog/2023/10/25/rosie-phillips-connecting-through-portraiture/
Jackson’s Art (Review: painting paper blocks) - https://www.jacksonsart.com/blog/2023/06/28/three-painters-test-jacksons-painting-paper-blocks/
BBC Radio Norfolk (31:20) - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0g5vtzj
Beyond The Canvas (Short film) - https://youtu.be/pEZO2noZZtI
Making a Mark - https://makingamark.blogspot.com/2022/11/review-episode-5-of-portrait-artist-of-year-2022.html
North Norfolk News - https://www.northnorfolknews.co.uk/news/23037135.meet-21-year-old-painter-set-feature-sky-programme/
Norfolk Live livestream interview (Facebook) - https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=191772686266212
Lady Cult/Retro Cult blog interview - https://ladycultblog.com/2021/04/29/artists-spotlight-rosiephillipsarts/
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Solo Shows
2024, ‘Close’, The Crypt Gallery, Norwich Cathedral, UK - https://www.cryptgallery.space.