Phil Starke

Phil became interested in art as a child living in Europe where he got to enjoy the great masters in the museums of Italy and Germany. His formal studies covered seven years, attending Central Missouri State University, the Art Institute of Chicago and the American Academy of Art, where he received his degree. From the beginning, travel has been an important part of providing his collectors with a wide variety of subject matter. Travel has also allowed Starke to stay fresh, painting plein air, stimulated by the light and color of his surroundings. "You have to work quickly because of the ever-changing conditions around you", says Starke. "The sun continues to move, changing the shadows and light of the location. Insects and wind can also be problems you have to deal with. My goal is to paint so the viewer can appreciate the beauty of the scene and somehow know how it feels to be standing where the artist stood and "see" it through the artist's eyes. If I've done my job right, anyone looking at my work will be able to feel the "emotion of the moment" and will want to spend some time with the piece -- taking in all the things I had to say."