Philip Gerrard

It is difficult to recall my age exactly when my interest in fine art first appeared. I know I was very young and had always enjoyed drawing and painting. At school I frequently came top in Art demonstrating talent from a very early age. My ambition was that one day I would become a professional artist. Although a career painting was not encouraged and I put by my dream and went into surveying and estate agency. I continued to paint in every spare moment practising and perfecting until after many years my first major breakthrough came when I began to paint still life. My very limited spare time meant that this was an ideal genre since the subjects were immediately available. An aunt had died recently and left me some ornaments, which I painted in a composition with fruit, they were an immediate success and demand grew rapidly. I began to collect suitable subject matter including claret jugs, pewter, etc. I decided not to use antiques preferring classical contemporary pieces, enabling me to follow the great tradition of the genre. My approach is to paint a representational image of the highest quality, and in great detail. Still life subjects frequently include fruit, lobster, flowers, glass, pewter and other fine objects. I have since extended my portfolio into other subjects painted in both oil and watercolour.

In February 1996 my ambition was realised when ages 36 I left my career and turned professional. In April 1998 the Lancashire Life Magazine published a four-page feature describing my story. A feature was also published in International Artist Magazine February/March 2000 edition in the ‘Master Painters of the World Showcase”. In 2004 one of my still life paintings was selected as a finalist in the “Daily Mail Not The Turner Prize” competition.

My paintings are in private collections in the UK, USA and Australia.

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