Brian Phillips as painter living and working in Austin,Texas. He Creates his art with reclaimed materials. You can hear his story in episode 10 of the podcast. See more of his work at artbybrianphillips.com.

Click on a thumbnail to see a slideshow of full images.

Brian in his own words . . .

Creating art is one of my first memories. My mom always said a drawing pad and crayons were the only thing that would hold my attention. I strayed from creating art in my teens, but rediscovered it in my early 20’s and found it to be the therapeutic release I needed and it has been a constant in my life ever since.

With more than 20 years experience making art, I’ve been a full time artist since 2010. I am primarily a self-taught artist: outside of high school art classes and some continuing education courses, trial and error has been my method. I credit the variations in the styles of my art to my approach of independent learning by doing. I believe this open approach leads to more creativity and self discovery.

When I find the wood/objects I salvage, I try to see the beauty in the blemishes, mistakes and years of use and abuse. It all has a story, good or bad. I’ve always been drawn to layers and layers of paint drips, scrapes, nail holes and repurposed items. Folk art speaks to me in that way as well. Use what’s available, just make art.

I strive to make art that engages people, and hopefully brings a smile. I feel art is about inclusion, not exclusion. Share it with people, some people get it, some don’t, and that’s the beautiful thing about art. There’s something out there for everyone. Embrace that.

HAVE FUN. ENJOY LIFE.