Christchurch-based artist Philip Beadle’s immediate environment of urban cityscapes, Canterbury plains, the Southern Alps and Banks Peninsula are all enduring sources of subject matter and inspiration in his art practice. “You’ll often find me sitting somewhere above Akaroa or Lyttelton Harbour with the sun in my face, the smell of dry tussock, the sound of crickets and human activity drifting up on the light breeze. Possibly a wee nap before reluctantly packing up my sketch book and heading home with a painting in mind.”

An award winning and widely exhibited artist, Philip works in oil, watercolour, dry point and monotype. He is interested in texture, colour and light, especially capturing low winter and evening light which create deep shadows and strong contrasts. He also meets regularly with a life drawing group and the female nude forms a large part of his work.

“Capturing the light striking a range of subject matter has always interested me whether it is the landscape, nude or cityscapes. I'm interested in our emotional response to the often fleeting memories we retain of something we have seen and how it affected us. It could be a glare on water or a pose we see for a millisecond as someone moves in every day life to touch their hair or dry themselves after a swim. I'm also concerned with creating an exciting painting surface with abstract qualities and enjoy painting in warm low evening or winter light to resolve form, colour and light into a warm companion on canvas.” - Philip Beadle