Philippa Paterson who we discovered on Instagram was born in New York.
After a peripatetic life living in countries all over the world, the artist now lives and works in South Downs, England.
Who is Philippa Paterson?
Philippa Paterson paints imagined realities using family photos, images from the Internet and life models as source material.
Her interest in the human condition feeds her painterly imagination. Thinly applied paint jostles with areas of impasto in her figurative works.
Philippa has shown extensively in the UK as well as New York and Singapore. Her works hangs in private collections and galleries.
I was born in New York and spent my early years living in various countries although Switzerland was our main base.
I came to London at 18, went to Johannesburg at 20 and back to London at 22.
I spent time in Australia and France with my own family before settling in the South Downs in England.
My work examines old world glamour, nostalgia, lived experiences and memories.
I look at family albums and the internet for source material.
My brother is a cartoonist and humour plays a role in my work.
Reading Bergson as a student made me realise the importance of the comic with serious intent.
My upbringing plays a huge role in the way I think.
Displacement has affected my family for several generations.
One belongs everywhere and nowhere.
I always enjoyed art growing up but it was not on the agenda in the French schools I attended.
Although I was offered a place at the art school in Johannesburg, I left South Africa and studied French and history of art in London.
I have followed a number of art courses taught by artists whose work I admired.
The local art scene is fairly traditional.
However I can easily access London for the day and visit exhibitions there.
There are a number of galleries outside London which I frequent when I can.
I have a small art community and the internet obviously plays a role.
I work in a converted garage attached to my home.
I prefer to work in solitude and usually go there in the mornings.
Later on in the day I may sit and look at the morning’s work and decide how I want to proceed the following day….what stays and what goes…
I listen to an eclectic array of music from retro pop, classical, contemporary. Some days I will just play with ideas on paper.
The Bataclan and the Moulin Rouge where venues my parents frequented.
They were seen as glamorous in those days.
From a feminist standpoint I am not so sure. The change in attitude to such things is a subject I find fascinating.
I currently have paintings in a couple of galleries.
Livingstone St Ives are showing some works in their Bristol gallery.
Darle and the Bear show my work in Woodstock where I am to have a solo show next year.
Painting makes me happy...as do animals, walks in the countryside, travelling, family and friends.
Painterly, evocative, layered, narrative, figurative
Exhibitions, residencies, awards:
Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy, 2021
Shortlisted for Exceptional 2019, Collier Bristow Gallery
Shortlisted for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2018
Shortlisted for the Columbia Threadneedle Prize 2018
Shortlisted for the Columbia Threadneedle Prize 2017
Shortlisted for the 2016 Ashurst Emerging Artist prize
Winner, National Open Art Exhibition 2016
Shortlisted for the National Open Art Exhibition 2015
Shortlisted for Chichester Open 2012
Selected for the Ruth Bochard Self-Portrait Competition 2011
Follow the artist on Instagram:
A big thank you to Philippa for sharing her work and her story with us to share with you!
