Welcome to Studio Philips

About the artist

My name is Sarah Philips, I’m an artist from Burnett Heads, in tropical Queensland. My work focuses on themes of connection, nature, and transience, and is heavily influenced by my time spent on the ocean and the coasts growing up. I specialise in marine subjects and seascapes, as well as portraiture.

I primarily work with watercolours and gouache, and have been in practice since 2011. I also regularly work with oils, acrylics, and graphite. I am lucky enough to be an exhibiting member with the Australian Society of Marine Artists, and to be receiving mentorship from master watercolourist Lawrie Walton.

I hope you enjoy my work.

About the ocean

I’m far from the first or the last painter to be obsessed with the ocean. That said, a little context about my relationship with it could be of interest when considering my work, so here we go.

The ocean is something my dad gave me- or less poetically, he passed his passion along, as his father did to him. To my grandfather, the ocean was a living, and a way to feed his family. My dad and his brother were out on the boat with him from as early as they can recall, and both still fish to this day, often together. As he grew older, and life threw the curveballs it does to so many of us, it came to mean more.

Enter stage left the wee tacker you see running behind him- that would be me. Living in coastal Bundaberg, we went to the beaches and rivers often. On the ordinary side of things, Dad taught me to enjoy the ocean with fishing, catching ghost crabs, and getting a good amount of air in the boat by hitting a wave at speed at just the right (wrong) angle. Ordinary joys, not to be minimised.

But as I, likewise, grew and took a few curveballs, he taught me probably the most impactful lesson I’ve had. In a world that I struggled with socially as a child, and in a family that, while loving, was saturated with depression, he provided an extraordinary notion. The ocean, as a balm. As company when lonely, as calm when you’ve been shaken, and as beauty when the ugliness of the world and the actions of people make you ache for it. A part of the world that will not fail to remind you why you would want to be in it.

About the Studio

Studio Philips was founded by Australian artist Sarah Philips.

It is the long-term goal of Studio Philips to grow beyond one artist’s practice, into an apprenticeship program that supports emerging artists on the merit of their skill and passion. Our mission is to offer these apprentices mentorship and resources; a share in the profit and practice of Studio Philips; the opportunity to meet peers and network; as well as teaching them the business basics and day-to-day tasks of running their own studio.

Studio Philips is also committed to establishing resources for Australian artists who are not as well-funded as the industry often requires, by means of a frame library and framing workshop. In this way Studio Philips may help some artists to throw their first show, enter competitions and exhibitions, and otherwise participate in the art community when they may not have been able to. Until Studio Philips can achieve these goals, support is available in the form of advice, encouragement, and mentorship to any artist who may ask for it.

Please feel free to reach out if this is you.

  • 2024 ASMA National Exhibition- Victorian Artists Society Gallery Melbourne

    2024 ARTIST OF THE MONTH October- Mission Beach Art Gallery

    2024 BEST WATERCOLOUR IN SHOW Cairns Show Art Exhibition- Cairns Show

    2024 Seafarers- Online exhibition hosted by ASMA

    2023 ASMA National Exhibition- Victorian Artists Society Gallery Melbourne

    2023 Small Boats- Online exhibition hosted by ASMA

    2023 Fish and Ships- Online exhibition hosted by ASMA

    2023 Lady Nelson Art Exhibition- Australian Wooden Boat Festival ; ASMA ; Lady Nelson Tallship ; TASports

    2022 Lady Nelson Residency - Australian Wooden Boat Festival ; ASMA ; Lady Nelson Tallship ; TASports

    2022 Victorian Artists Society & ASMA Maritime Exhibition- Frater Gallery Melbourne

    2022 ASMA National Exhibition- Royal Art Society of NSW Lavender Bay Gallery Sydney

    2022 Harbour Life- Online exhibition hosted by ASMA

    2022 Our Ties to the Horizon- Solo show, Brisbane Square Library

    2021 ASMA 25th Anniversary Exhibition- Online exhibition hosted by ASMA

    2021 FINALIST Change- Frankston Art Centre

    2021 Falling Tides- Solo show, Brisbane Square Library

    2020 RAW: Natural Born Artists “Premiere”- The Met Brisbane

    2019 Separate Horizons- Solo show, Reverends Brisbane

    2018 Trio Eclectic- Bean. Brisbane

    2015 PEOPLES CHOICE Lighthouse Art Show- Burnett Heads Lighthouse Festival

    2013 BEST IN SHOW St Luke's Art Award - St Luke’s Bundaberg

  • “A beautiful unique painting nicely framed! Excellent quick delivery. A painting to treasure for a long time”

    — Wynnette L.

    “Absolutely love this little piece of the ocean!”

    — Riley P.

    “Delivered as expected and as displayed. Beautiful”

    — Catherine J.

    “Sarah’s workshop was a joy to attend. The set up was neat and professional with everything we needed at hand. The class was run at perfect pace - enough time to chat amongst our group but efficiently enough to hold everyone’s interest. Sarah is clearly a skilled and knowledgeable artist and guided us easily with her friendly manner, allowing options for us to challenge our capabilities or offer help where required. Many of us believed the piece to be above our skill level but Sarah was able to lead us all to produce a piece of art to be proud of.”

    — Amie G.

  • I also do website builds for artists and art organisations. I have built and maintained my site since 2020, and recent builds include the Australian Society of Marine Artists, The Brandon Circle, and Jennifer Pullman.

    If you are interested in having a site built, please reach out for a free quote. Simple builds start from $200 (not including domain and platform fees).