ABOUT & BIO
"Art is a beautiful and universal form of communication. I combine bold forms and styles throughout my works reflecting energy, spirit and vibe."
In his work British artist Carl Hodges (signed as Carl Philip @Carl Philip Art) engages and nurtures the mechanics of art to express human and spiritual aspects of life. The use of bold colours, even straight from the tube, emblazon the canvas surface, standing out amongst the crowd and bringing a strong energy to any piece. Carl loves architecture, expressed through acrylics and unique pallet knives/brush work, sometimes focusing in particular Stoke-on-Trent's bottle kiln factory skylines. Over the years Carl has developed his techniques, for a bold, layered knife work producing stunning patterns of light and shadow.
At a deeper level, Carl feels his thoughts and feelings can be channelled through meditation at different frequencies within the process of creating artworks.
More recently and merging into a new realm of creative freedom, an explosion of colour and energy is forming into his new works - applying layering techniques, forced drying, fluid acrylics and palette knives.
Carl exhibits using solo exhibitions and is looking for inspiration around his new home town.
He lives in Northern Ireland with his beautiful wife Jayne.
LATEST WORK
"I recently completed a piece on Sir Stanley Matthews, as a large mural on the side of a bottle-kiln oven where there are pottery workers filling and stacking new pottery to be fired."
CURRENTLY
2025...
"I am focusing on sketching local landscapes, including Donaghadee light house... More to follow soon in 2025."
Looking to work closely with local galleries and events.
PREVIOUS
2023
"...working on local landscapes developing my technique using palette knives with acrylic layering on many subjects including bottle oven kilns used in the the old pottery/ceramics industry. I like the method of applying different layers with heavy and light paints and also the challenge of multiple colours on one knife during application. This requires a careful manipulation over time with the added dynamics of working over not just dry but also other wet layers to achieve the desired effect. This style is something I want to continue to develop to other styles of abstract art. The results are very rewarding where industrial architecture decays into Earth's sky colours - so their original structural and form is eventually lost in time in one piece."
ART CREATIVITY
Before any physical preparing of canvases, mixing paints or conceptualisation sketching my approach is best summed up by Pablo Picasso:
"Everything you can
imagine is real"
The imagination requires freedom. A freedom to capture thoughts, emotions, experiences and energy that are all so important to form into creative reality - for me this is in traditional painting and digital creations.
Past and current memories from all the senses can be used to spark creative ideas and as they begin to seed in the mind a short period of meditation allows further development to form my art.
ART PROCESS
Before any painting begins the general approach I adopt is personal to me and maybe not for be for everyone. The approach has been crafted from years of trail and error, trying many different styles of painting.
I can't paint one piece at a time - as mood plays a very important part of the painting process.
Right mood
Right results
This is why I normally have three or more - even ten different pieces on the go at any one time. If I need to express energetic spontaneity with quick mind and physical movements then focusing on an abstract piece is perfect with a bit of music playing in the background. If the mood is more thoughtful and placid then classical or meditative sound is suitable.
Simple really. I regularly perform and apply my own meditation techniques developed since I was 17 that allows universal freedom of energy to help form my works of art both before and during application.
“I dream my painting and I paint my dream.”
― Vincent Willem van Gogh