19 July 2013

Tim Phillips from the ACT has won the Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship for his body of work, highlighted by Glass Still Life III 2013.

Begun in 1999, this scholarship for young Australian painters is now in its 15th year. Eight finalists were selected from 77 entries. A small selection of the finalists work is on display at the Studio until 1 September 2013.

Tim Phillips, 22, is a painter and waiter. He received a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours) ANU in 2012. Tim’s current work demonstrates his conviction that the process of painting from the close observation and contemplation of simple things remains a compelling pursuit, said Ruth Waller, from the Australian National University where Tim studied.

This year’s judges were artist Euan Macleod; director of the AGNSW, Michael Brand; and the Gallery’s head of Australian art, Wayne Tunnicliffe.

Commenting on the work of Tim Phillips, Euan Macleod said: The beauty and subtle technique of Tim’s work gave him the edge for me. There was a consistency to the works he submitted. I was impressed at how he is working within the very traditional genre of still life but in a very personal way: finding a way to make it his own. I felt Tim would gain greatly from looking at some of the world’s best still-life paintings to be found in Europe.

This year the judges also highly recommended two painters: Dane Lovett from Melbourne and James Drinkwater from Hamilton, NSW.

Mrs Beryl Whiteley, who died in 2010, was awarded an OAM for the creation and endowment of the Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship in 2004. The inspiration for this annual scholarship was the profound effect of international travel and study experienced by her son, Brett Whiteley, as a result of winning the Italian Government Travelling Art Scholarship at the age of 20.

The Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship is open to Australian artists aged between 20 and 30 years. Tim Phillips has won $25,000 and a three-month residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, which is administered by the Art Gallery of NSW. The Brett Whiteley Studio is managed by the Art Gallery of NSW.

View winner’s works

View finalists’ works