Today we’d like to introduce you to Derrick Phillips Sr..
Hi Derrick, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
As a kid, I always enjoyed drawing. The attention my art received from teachers and classmates made me realize it was special. But I assumed everyone was good at drawing because I was more focused on playing the drums, which I loved. At age 13, I met my 7th-grade art teacher, Kevin Cole, and my perspective of what art was and what it could be changed forever. And playing the drums quickly took the backseat to my newfound love of visual arts. In the upcoming years, Cole would take me under his wing and mentor me. Allowing me to take part in his artistic journey, creating commissions for Mrs. Monica Kauffman Pearson, Mrs & Mr. Michael Jordan, The Coca Cola Centennial 1996 Olympic Mural, most recently “Soul Ties That Matter” a 20’x55’x2′ Installation at Hartsfield Jackson International Airport, and I currently still assist him in his studio.
I attended Tri-Cities High School Visual and Performing Arts, where I was surrounded by some extremely talented young artists and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Printmaking from Atlanta College of Art. After college, I took an 11-year detour from Fine Art and tried my hand at Graphic and Web Design. In August of 2011, my life changed forever when I became a Dad. With my new responsibility, I did a lot of soul searching for my identity, and it directed me back to this thing that I once loved, Fine Arts. So now I’m a mixed-media wood assemblage artist and Printmaker.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Well, being an artist has its ups and downs, but I wouldn’t change my journey at all. There would be so many life lessons that I would miss out on if I did so. One of my biggest struggles was transitioning from the art student mindset to a professional artist’s way of thinking. I thought there would be some sort of magic wand waved over my head after finishing college, and I would become a famous artist. I believe this was partly due to the disconnect between me and my college professor. I often felt like I didn’t receive the proper affirming criticism and direction, mostly it was just praise on how good my art was or not much response at all. So I processed it all as if I was this great artist and knew it all, but life outside the college campus taught me something very different. That I had so much more work to do, more artist research, and more art to consume before I become at least a good artist.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a mixed-media wood assemblage artist and printmaker, I create realistic portraits layered with symbolic abstraction. Which investigates Black identity and culture throughout American History and current events. Currently, I’m most proud of my first public installation piece, “The Journey We Traveled” on display at the Avondale MARTA Transit Station in Decatur. What sets me apart from other artists is my experimental spirit. Lately, I’ve been incorporating various materials into my practice, such as laser-cut wood chips, aluminum, and hanging ornaments
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
People can collabrate and support me by reaching out to me through my Instagram page @artofdphillips or my website artofdphillips.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.artofdphillips.com
- Instagram: @artofdphillips
Image Credits
All images taken by me.
