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Rainbow Birds

Original Artwork "Cockatoo Carnival" from the Rainbow Birds Collection
“Cockatoo Carnival”

I’m sometimes asked why birds? So many of my artworks feature them. They’ve always been a symbol of freedom to me. Watching them take flight, coasting on the air currents, or hunting on the wing, always makes me pause. Looking up, I take in the sky and all the space beyond us, and it puts life into a little perspective. That peace that I always feel is something I wanted to share.

Then comes the colour! I always enjoy the quote from Georgia O’Keefe that refers to her oversized paintings of flowers –

“I’ll paint it big and they will be surprised into taking the time to look at it – I will make even busy New Yorkers take time to see what I see of flowers”

I was inspired by this line of thinking to use colour to bring a new focus to these beautiful birds, inviting people to connect and to find that little moment of pause more often. To notice the beauty around us everyday that we get so accustomed to seeing that it becomes part of the background noise of our busy lives, is to ignite our curiosity again.

Colour has such power to move us. Some of my subjects have been reimagined in vibrant hues, other’s are birds as they are in the wild but with backgrounds that are vivid in colour. I hope that my colourful paintings bring you a  smile, or a contemplative moment – or even a “what, really?” of surprise.

 

The Impossible Blue

If you would like to purchase this original artwork "Wildflowers of W.A." click here or visit my online store
Wildflowers of W.A.

A little while ago I was contemplating my working life. It was time for me to re-enter the workforce after raising my two amazing young people. Would I retrain or would I turn my love of painting into a full time business? So many thoughts ran through my head as I sat and contemplated the sky.

Anytime I have a lot on my mind I find myself seeking the outdoors. A clear blue sky stretched out in front of me and I watched as a Whistling Kite flew on the thermals, swirling higher and higher into the impossible blue. The air had that bite of freshness that lingers with early spring and the clarity of the view had an infinite quality to it that I could hardly describe.

And that’s when I knew. Art gives me a way of expressing these moments – feeling at peace and knowing that I am a minuscule part of the natural world and yet completely connected to it nonetheless. Feelings that are sometimes difficult to put into words but I can pour into a painting, striving to share a little of that peace and connectedness with others.

A few years on from that afternoon, which still stands out so vividly in my mind, and I’m so very glad I listened to my heart. I continue to work on my craft and I’ve begun teaching art which is a joy – sharing my passion for creativity with young people is as rewarding for me as I hope it is for my students too.

Welcome

Welcome to Rebecca Phillips Art online. Rebecca is a landscapes and wildlife artist, who is driven by a passion for the natural environments that she has explored in her travels throughout Australia, and beyond. Through her artworks, which are worked in multiple mediums, Rebecca strives to build an emotive connection with the viewer to our natural world.

Rebecca’s artworks and quality prints are available directly from her online shop

Rebecca was named as one of “21 Artists to Watch in 2011” by SkinnyArtist.com and in 2013 appeared in the tv show “Put Some Colour In Your Life” Having exhibited in several locations around Australia Rebecca has sold work localy and oversea’s, also being a regular contributer to the #TwitterArtExhibits around the world.