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Walter J. Phillips
1884–1963
BirthplaceBarton-on-Humber, England
Death placeVictoria, British Colombia, Canada
BiographyWalter J. Phillips ranks among Canada's foremost landscape artists in watercolor and woodcut. Born on England's east coast, Phillips studied at the Municipal College of Art in Birmingham and worked briefly in South Africa. On his return to England in 1907, he worked as a commercial artist, made a sketching trip in the south of England, and taught art. He exhibited a landscape at the prestigious Royal Academy of London in 1912. The following year, he moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he began teaching at St. John's Technical School while working in watercolor.
In 1915, Phillips began to make prints. He first made etchings, but he soon found that he preferred to work with nuances of color rather than line. His admiration of Japanese prints inspired him to make color woodcuts in the Japanese style. In 1917, with no formal training in the technique, Phillips made his first color woodcut. That year he also briefly taught art at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Two years later, six of his color woodcuts were reproduced in The International Studio magazine to much acclaim. He gradually became more aware of other artists working in this medium, particularly Frank Morley Fletcher, whose writings became an important influence. In 1924, Phillips returned to England, where he met British color woodcut artists and the Japanese artist Yoshijiro Urushibara (1888–1953), a noted master in traditional color printmaking. From Urushibara, Phillips learned about papers, sizing, and how to perfect his technique so that his prints achieved an ever softer appearance and texture.
Upon his return to Canada in 1925, Phillips wrote his book The Techniques of Color Wood-Cut (1926), which was widely read by artists. During the 1920s and 30s, he exhibited his prints frequently, primarily in Canada but also in London and at the 1939 World's Fair in New York. He continued to author books, illustrate the books of others, and teach art, in addition to creating print images that celebrate Canada's wilderness and spectacular scenery. In 1941, Phillips moved to Calgary, Alberta. Two years later, he moved to Banff, where he was a regular instructor in the Banff Summer School from 1940 to 1959. In 1953, however, Phillips's eyesight began to fail, and he became totally blind in 1961. He retired in 1960 to Victoria, British Columbia, where he died two years later.
In 1915, Phillips began to make prints. He first made etchings, but he soon found that he preferred to work with nuances of color rather than line. His admiration of Japanese prints inspired him to make color woodcuts in the Japanese style. In 1917, with no formal training in the technique, Phillips made his first color woodcut. That year he also briefly taught art at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Two years later, six of his color woodcuts were reproduced in The International Studio magazine to much acclaim. He gradually became more aware of other artists working in this medium, particularly Frank Morley Fletcher, whose writings became an important influence. In 1924, Phillips returned to England, where he met British color woodcut artists and the Japanese artist Yoshijiro Urushibara (1888–1953), a noted master in traditional color printmaking. From Urushibara, Phillips learned about papers, sizing, and how to perfect his technique so that his prints achieved an ever softer appearance and texture.
Upon his return to Canada in 1925, Phillips wrote his book The Techniques of Color Wood-Cut (1926), which was widely read by artists. During the 1920s and 30s, he exhibited his prints frequently, primarily in Canada but also in London and at the 1939 World's Fair in New York. He continued to author books, illustrate the books of others, and teach art, in addition to creating print images that celebrate Canada's wilderness and spectacular scenery. In 1941, Phillips moved to Calgary, Alberta. Two years later, he moved to Banff, where he was a regular instructor in the Banff Summer School from 1940 to 1959. In 1953, however, Phillips's eyesight began to fail, and he became totally blind in 1961. He retired in 1960 to Victoria, British Columbia, where he died two years later.