by Arlene Wright-Correll

This weekís Kentucky artist is Philip H. Holder

Philip H. Holder is a native of Barren County, KY and lives in Austin, KY where he lives in the home he grew up in. He says he was 2 years old when he started to paint and has been prolific ever since. He has a home studio where he paints art that leans towards fantasy and surrealism and is very much reminiscent in the style of Salvador Dali. Frankly this writer prefers what she viewed of Philipís work to what she has viewed of Daliís. His preferred mediums are color pencil and acrylics.

Surrealism is a movement stating that the liberation of our mind, and subsequently the liberation of the individual self and society, can be achieved by exercising the imaginative faculties of the “unconscious mind” to the attainment of a dream-like state different from, or ultimately ëtruerí than, everyday reality.

Surrealists believe that this more truthful reality can bring about personal, cultural, and social revolution, and a life of freedom, poetry, and uninhibited sexuality. AndrÈ Breton said that such a revealed truth would be beatific, or in his own words, “beauty will be convulsive or not at all.”

In more mundane terms, the word “surreal” is often used colloquially to describe unexpected juxtapositions or use of non-sequiturs in art or dialogue. When the concept of surrealism has been “applied” by associated groups of individuals, it has often been called a “surrealist movement,” whether cultural (including artistic) or social.

Philip studied under S. V. Rama Rao, from India and he said the students called his course, “Ulcer 101″ because he was such a harsh teacher.

Philipís artistic talents, beside producing fine art includes doing murals, trompe LíOlel and Faux Finishes on furniture. He had an exciting chair he had done over.

Trompe-l’úil (French for “trick the eye” from tromper – to deceive and l’úil – the eye; and is an art technique involving extremely realistic imagery in order to create the optical illusion that the depicted objects really exist. Although the phrase has its origin in the Baroque period, use of trompe-l’úil dates back much further. It was (and is) often employed in murals, and instances from Greek and Roman times are known, for instance from Pompeii. A typical trompe-l’úil mural might depict a window, door or hallway to optically enlarge a room.

With the superior understanding of perspective drawing achieved in the Renaissance, painters often added trompe-l’úil features to their paintings, playfully exploring the boundary between image and reality. For example, a fly might appear to be sitting on the painting’s frame, a curtain might appear to partly conceal the painting, a piece of paper might appear to be attached to a board, or a person might appear to be climbing out of the painting altogether.

A mural is a painting on a wall, ceiling, or other large permanent surface. Murals of sorts date to prehistoric times such as the paintings on the Caves of Lascaux in southern France, but the term became famous with the Mexican muralista art movement (Diego Rivera, David Siqueiros, or JosÈ Orozco). There are many techniques. The best-known is probably “fresco”, which uses water soluble paints with a damp lime wash, a rapid use of the resulting mixture over a large surface, and often in parts (but with a sense of the whole). The colors lighten when dried. Murals today may be painted in a variety of ways, using oil or water based media. The styles can vary from abstract to Trompe L’Oeil (a French term for fool or trick the eye).

Philip will do commission work using any of the above techiques on any piece of furniture you want to turn into something different and exciting or he will come and do that mural you finally have been thinking of for your home or business. Using the Trompe LíOeil technique Philip can turn a real dull part of your home into an intriguing and exciting art area.

Do give him a call at 270 646 2455 to come to his home studio at 2271 Austin, Boatramp Rd., Austin KY 42123.

(Contact Arlene Wright-Correll at 270 524 9567 or email her at askarlene@scrtc.com  if you want to be next weekís column of Whoís Who in KY Artís and Crafts)