Open Studio Weekend: 1

Having exhibited at Hartford’s Open Studio Weekend for the past four years, artist Julie Christine Phillipps says it’s the personal interaction with visitors and other artists that keeps her coming back.

“It’s nice to be so close and sitting with your art so that you can just talk to people,” she says.

Phillipps has painted watercolors since she was a child, following in the footsteps of her grandfather who was a watercolor artist. Her tranquil pieces frequently depict goldfish or flowers, in a loose style with meditative hues of green, orange and blue.

“I like letting the paint play with the water, letting them do some of the mixes on their own,” she says.

But Phillipps is also known for her whimsical collages with scenes of children and animals. She began experimenting with collage later in her career, as she began crafting her illustration style for picture books. What she found was a completely new avenue for her creativity.

“The cut of the paper is a very clear, bold line and I think that adds nice drama and fun for a younger audience,” she says.

For her exhibit at this year’s Open Studio Weekend, Phillips is bringing some extra fun in the form of a ninja named Wink. In March, Viking Press published her first picture book titled, Wink! The Ninja Who Wanted to be Noticed. Although she had written other stories over the years, this one was steeped in serendipity.

A Halloween encounter with a boy dressed as a ninja provided the basis for this unique tale.

“At first, he was being very stealthy so we pretended we didn’t see him because we wanted him to feel good about his stealth skills,” Phillipps says.

Tired at the lack of attention, the boy began jumping and waving his arms. 

“My husband said, ‘Look, it’s the ninja who wants to be noticed.’ Which of course is a ridiculous concept, so of course it stuck,” she says.

The planets also aligned when Phillipps later attended an illustrators’ conference in New York. A literary agent saw her portfolio in one of the sessions and ended up taking her on as a client.

But Phillips would be the first to mention that her success so far is in part due to persistence and putting herself and her art in front of people.

Her best advice for artists and other creative types? “Don’t be afraid to make bad art,” she says. “When you’re afraid to fail, then you’re never going to have an awesome success.”

For more information, visit Julie Christine Phillipps’ web site at www.juliecolor.com.

This is the first piece in a series profiling artists exhibiting at Hartford’s Open Studio Weekend. The event begins with a gallery opening November 13th and runs 11 am to 5 pm November 14th and 15th. For more information, visit openstudiohartford.com.