True Spilt Milk Designs
I had the recent pleasure of working with visual artist Paul Phillips, AKA True Spilt Milk Designs. Having known Paul for a long time personally, it was a real joy to be able to support his practice.
After meeting in-person to discuss the brief over a coffee, I conducted research on his behalf sourcing available funding pots specifically for visual artists; and more in-depth research analysing how to crack the system of Instagram’s ever-changing algorithms to get the most out of the platform, alongside Facebook and Twitter.
Along the way I spotted various competitions, call-outs for exhibitors, fellowships and residencies, which, although weren’t part of the original brief, I felt would be amiss if I didn’t include them as other avenues for financial support for his work, and an organic way to reach more people.
One of which was the Qube Arts Open Competition - an established annual event at Qube, Oswestry, Shropshire attracting artists across the UK to exhibit each July. This year’s theme was ‘Discovery & Exploration’. An independent panel of judges view the works, with the winning ‘Best In Show’ artist receiving a £500 cash prize.
Paul was really open to exploring these avenues, and I am enormously pleased to say he entered, and won! But I wouldn’t expect anything less from such a talented individual.
Paul Phillips, True Spilt Milk Design with his stunning prints.
I have long been an admirer of his work, his commissions for various contemporary artists, and even had the honour in my old workplace of featuring in a bespoke mural at The Boileroom alongside my sister and venue Founder & Director, Dom Frazer.
Paul said of his winning piece,"All my fine art prints come from deep inside and are all representative of states of mind I have struggled to get out of in the past so to get recognition for this work is extremely cathartic.
This particular piece is about using your imagination to create a fantasy to live in during moments where real life is just too much to bear.”
Congratulations Paul, a truly well deserved win, and I hope, the first of many!
Visit his website here to see his incredible artwork:
