Philip Craig was born in Ottawa in 1951. Encouraged by his parents to pursue art from an early age, he attended art programs in Ottawa, and in 1971 graduated from Sheridan College of Art and Design. The next decade was spent living and working in Newfoundland where his isolation from the art world allowed him to focus on traditional subject matter. By 1986, the act of painting had become so compelling that Craig returned with his family to Ottawa, determined to paint full time.

 

The continual search for new subject matter and the wish to develop his technical abilities pushed Craig first to visit England, then France, Italy, Morocco, and India—all travels that not only enriched his palette but also gave him a deep appreciation of light. Craig has also travelled within Canada, and this has led to a strong desire to imprint his own vision on his country.

 

Philip Craig has an extraordinary ability to connect with the viewer as he paints ordinary people engaged in ordinary activities—waiters at work, a restful moment in the woods, or a traveller reading a map in a café. In a landscape or an interior, the viewer can anticipate what might happen next. This element of connection, accompanied by the beauty of colour, light and richly expressive brushwork creates a desire to spend more time with his paintings.

 

Philip Craig's paintings can be found in collections in Canada, the United States of America, the United Kingdom and internationally.