Philip Gray
Philip was born in Cork, Ireland, in 1959. From the age of
5 he loved art, and one of his earliest memories is being tutored
in figurative drawing by a family friend, Trevor Scott, the
founder of the renowned College of Art and Design in Dublin.
At the age of 16, Philip left school and joined the Irish Navy.
Once he had established himself as a naval diver, he began to
paint at sea and soon became prolific. He had the great advantage
of having a unique perspective on Irish landscapes and seascapes
as viewed from the Atlantic Ocean.
The magic in Philip’s art lies in his ability to use
his artistic creativity as a natural form of communication.
With the extraordinary beauty of the mountainous western island,
Ireland, as his inspiration, Philip’s art provides us
with the opportunity, albeit momentarily, to remove ourselves
from the chaos of day to day life and appreciate the ordered
beauty of nature.
After 17 years in the Navy, and with much encouragement from
his wife and family, Philip relinquished his naval career and
took the bold step of setting up on his own as an artist. His
success was such that he has since become one of Ireland’s
most celebrated living artists. Philip’s work is sold
all over the world and his celebrity collectors include
Bill Clinton and George W Bush.
