My desire is to paint like the Old Masters

Artwork by Margaret Phillips

I am getting on in life now but ever since I was a tiny child, I have been fascinated and challenged by my desire to paint like the Old Masters.

I live in country Australia and have only ever had the opportunity to see real Old Masters in an exhibition in Melbourne about forty years ago when Russia allowed a collection of art pieces to travel while renovations were being done to the Hermitage. I took two tiny children twice a week for as long as the exhibition ran, but due to the press of crowds, never had the chance to study them.

In 1985 I managed to do a life sculpture course with a well known French artist. I created six sculptures before injuring my back lifting one of them during the casting process.

In 1990 I attended a weekend workshop with an artist who reproduces Caravaggio paintings for a living.

These workshops gave me a taste of my abilities and I have continued my studies using books and lots of practice but I feel I lack the confidence and finesse and techniques to produce works to the standard I know I am capable of doing.

In my experience there is a handful of artists who can produce beautiful Old Master style paintings. I would dearly love to be one of them.

I want to be able to produce beautiful awesome paintings that take your breath away.

margaretphillips.com.au