Philippa Cannan

Philippa Cannan’s work is inspired by the natural movement, energy and freedom inherent in animals. Animals in many ways embody and symbolise life’s deeper instincts; Philippa has al-ways had a great interest in the layers and dimensions of feeling, thought and energies in hu-man experience, which resulted in her practicing for many years as a psychotherapist. She is also fascinated by the creative process and has had an abiding interest in the arts and painting which led her to graduate in Fine Art Painting from Brighton University in 2010.

Her work doesn’t lie within the tradition of animal portraiture. Rather it aims to evoke a sense of the innate energies of an animal - the tension between their inherent wildness, as well as their willingness to be tamed, or to be submissive. In her work she focusses on horses, deer, wolves, foxes, birds of prey and dogs. These animals suggest a freedom and wildness often juxtaposed with an innate intelligence, gentleness and sensitivity. Their grace and beauty of presence and movement draw her to create their images, to convey a sense and feeling of these qualities.

Visceral energies -the versatility and movement embodied in an animal - reflect Philippa’s inter-est in the physicality and fluidity of paint itself. Colour evokes in her a physical response, ’the way I’m feeling dictates how I paint, the colour I use creates in me a sensory response. For me there is a grace and beauty in the power, energy and movement of animals. This collection of work, “Animal,” broadly reflects my interest in these. It is an attempt to express the way I expe-rience it. There is a fascination with the instinctual and unconscious - the transient, momentary and ethereal aspects of life.’

Philippa has exhibited regularly in the South East, London (Cork Street, Somerset House), Lena Boyle Fine Art (London Art Fair, British Art Fair, RCA). Watts Contemporary Gallery (Guildford), Woodstock Gallery (Oxford), Tower View Gallery (Kings Hill, Kent), New Brewery Art Gallery (Ci-rencester) and many others. Her work hangs in private collections in the UK, Germany, Middle East and the U.S.