“PHILLIPS’ MILL”: This painting by Doylestown, Pa., artist Jay McPhillips has been selected as the Signature Image for the “96th Annual Juried Art Show at Phillips’ Mill,” on view this fall at Phillips’ Mill in New Hope, Pa.
The Art Committee at Phillips’ Mill Community Association has announced the selection of “Phillips’ Mill” by Doylestown artist Jay McPhillips as the signature image for its “96th Juried Art Show at Phillips’ Mill.”
Each year a new signature image — an artistic representation of the historic Phillips’ Mill—is selected from works submitted by artists living within a 25-mile radius of the Mill who compete for this honor. The selected image is used on marketing and advertising materials including posters, ads, invitations, postcards, social media, banners and more. The artwork is featured in the show and the winning artist receives a $500 honorarium.
This year’s image combines McPhillips’s trademark charm, vibrant color, and the Impressionist influence seen in much of his work.
“When I first started painting, I was greatly influenced by the work of the Pennsylvania Impressionists, and I have stuck to that,” said McPhillips. “It is such an honor to be recognized for my image of the Phillips’ Mill, the very place, the creative hub, for such icons as William Langson Lathrop, Fern Coppedge and Daniel Garber.”
McPhillips’ art journey began in a more corporate setting — as an art director in top New York City advertising agencies where he worked on major accounts like Coca-Cola, crafting visual campaigns for global audiences. A former staffer for Comedy Central, McPhillips also designed print ads for some of the network’s most recognizable shows.
He later worked as the graphic designer for McCarter Theatre in Princeton, a position that introduced him to the world of theater and performance. Over the years, he’s lived, worked, and found inspiration in towns such as Portland, Ore., Boothbay Harbor, Maine, Portsmouth, N.H., and Portland, Maine, where he studied at the Maine College of Art.
For the past decade, McPhillips has earned a living designing, painting, and selling his work throughout this area and said his Bucks County years have had the most lasting impact. He describes himself as a “working man’s artist” who likes “making stuff” that reflects the personality of the local shops, restaurants, and attractions he has frequented in the many places he has lived. This includes “portraits” of the County Theater in Doylestown, the Swan Bar in Lambertville, the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge, and now Phillips’ Mill.
The “96th Juried Art Show at Phillips’ Mill” will run from September 20 to October 26. Previous signature images have depicted the Mill in whimsical as well as traditional styles by artists including Jean Childs Buzgo, Patricia Allingham Carlson, Tom Gass, Joe Gyurcsak, John C. Mertz, Pam Miller, Donna Ruane Rogers, Francisco Silva, Luiz Villela, and Steve Zazenski. Some of those images can be seen in the archives of past exhibitions on the Mill’s website at phillipsmill.org/art/art-exhibition-archives.
Phillips’ Mill Community Association is located at 2619 River Road in New Hope, Pa. For more information, visit phillipsmill.org.