Paintings Art work by Philip Hallawell of Brazil Images of Eyes Gallery

Images of Eyes Gallery--fine
art by international artists

Images of Eyes Gallery I
Oil Paintings by Philip Hallawell
Brazil

This exhibit presents a selection of outstanding works by a master Brazilian artist, Philip Hallawell, who is also distinguished as an educator, writer, lecturer, and television personality.

Artist's biography

Philip Hallawell was born in São Paulo, Brazil, in 1951, and was educated at Rugby School, in England, and at Haverford College, in Pennsylvania, United States, where he majored in Fine Arts. In 1970, Philip returned to London where he lived for four years; in 1974, Philip returned to Brazil, married Sonia Ozi, and took up residence in São Paulo.

He was Professor of Drawing and Painting at the Liceu de Artes e Ofícios de São Paulo from 1983 to 1989. From 1989 to 1991 he presented the Drawing Workshop in TV Cultura's Revistinha program. In 1994, his book À Mão Livre - A Linguagem do Desenho [Freehand--The language of Drawing] was published (currently in its 12th edition). He created, scripted, and presented for television a series of 26 programs based on the book (still running on TVE Rio).

His second book on drawing techniques and materials À Mão Livre 2- Técnicas de Desenho [Freehand 2 - Drawing Techniques] was published in 1996 and is in its 4th edition. A CD-ROM based on the first book has been published.

Today, he lectures and presents workshops (drawing, water colors, and creativity) on art education. Philip writes "...it is very important to remember that art education is a process that enriches and provides great pleasure. I [did] not teach or write [À Mão Livre] thinking only of future artists. I think of enriching people, and if some of you become artists that will be only one of the consequences of this process."

His works have been shown in Brazil, London, Spain, and the United States, in more than forty one-man shows, group exhibitions, and salons. For three years his works were represented exclusively by André Gallery in São Paulo. His works are in collections in Brazil, Canada, England, France, Israel, Italy, and the United States.

From an art review by P. M. Bardi, Director of São Paulo
Museum of Art, Assis Chateaubriand (MASP)

"Here is a painter who not only attracts our attention, but also immediately wins our cordial curious interest. His drawings require scrupulous exploration, because the beckonings are full of commentaries that suggest much to those that know how to see and understand.

"Philip Hallawell is English. At first glance it is obvious to think of William Blake, due to his taste for what is mythical and romantic in the world, which he creates in a fantasia rich in adventure: themes that border the erotic, shaded by grace that is delicate, musical, diaphanous.

"[He is a M]aster of a subtle draughtmanship that penetrates the heart of his comedy’s characters which he combines in scenes of delicious edens and, as I have said, [a] conqueror of our immediate attention."

Artist's Statement

"I work in various media: oil, watercolor, dry pastels, pen and ink and mixed media. My work is a result of a fragmented view of the world, which gives it a surreal quality. However, my process is not surreal, because I start with a definite theme that I wish to investigate.

"My main area of interest is people and the human form and I am constantly investigating the physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual aspects of Man.

"Over the years I have developed various series, which I revisit periodocally.
In purely visual terms, what fascinates me is light and form. I use diverse visual elements in a complementary way, opposing, for instance, line and form, or rough and smooth texture, which is for the interpretation of my themes."

Statement by Philip Hallawell written
especially for the Images of Eyes Gallery

"I have always been fascinated by eyes and paint or draw them not only to capture expressions and human emotions, but also because they are very potent symbols. The eyes are the doors of our human masks, that open to our souls, though, at times they are the masks themselves. They can be the symbols of enlightenment or consciousness - the third eye - and can depict the animus or the anima, the conscious or the subconscious, or even an emptiness, when there is a hollow."

Artist's comments about the painting are in quotes and appear below the painting

Image entitled Aphrodite, Paris and Helen by artist Philip
Hallawell of Brazil, from the Illiad Series

"Aphrodite, Paris and Helen" by Philip Hallawell
Image Copyright © by Philip Hallawell
Oil on canvas on wood, 40x50cm, 1986

"This painting is from the 'Illiad Series' which I began in 1984, when I perceived that the themes used by Homer in The Illiad continue in debate to this day...I also consider The Illiad as being a cornerstone of human consciousness. To complement these conceptual contrasts, I exploited visual contrasts: light and shade, textures, line and form, the concrete and the abstract, and colour contrasts. I search for harmony and equilibrium, while working with contrasting elements, in my art, just as, I believe, everyone seeks harmony and equilibrium in the conflicts of life."

Image entitled Angels by artist
Philip Hallawell of Brazil

"Angels" by Philip Hallawell
Image Copyright © by Philip Hallawell
Oil painting, 60x80cm

"Inspired by a Mozart piano symphony, which conjured up an image of angel-like figures, this painting represents the physical and spiritual realities of Man. Whereas the physical side is almost abstract, the spiritual side contains much less pigment and texture and is behind the physical side. Thus the face acts much as a mask."

Image entitled The Broken Mask by artist Philip
Hallawell of Brazil

"The Broken Mask" by Philip Hallawell
Image Copyright © by Philip Hallawell
Pen and ink and ink wash, 70x50cm, 1978

"This work is part of my Masks Series. The general concept of the series is that we create masks to protect our inner selves and, in so doing, eventually believe we are the masks that we have created. This work depicts a moment of self discovery, when the mask is partially broken."

Image entitled Subconscious I by artist Philip
Hallawell of Brazil

"Subconscious I" by Philip Hallawell
Image Copyright © by Philip Hallawell

"The first of a series which investigate the subconscious. Here I question what is buried in this part of the mind: the fears, desires and aspirations. I also believe that when one brings the subconscious to the conscious, one is able to find a liberation."

Image entitled Sight by artist Philip
Hallawell of Brazil

"Sight" by Philip Hallawell
Image Copyright © by Philip Hallawell

"This is a painting about consciousness or awareness. It allows for no subterfuge, there are no masks and there are no concessions. It is a difficult, relentless and demanding work, because it depicts a difficult, relentless and demanding state of mind which we rarely attain."

Image entitled Subconscious IV by artist Philip
Hallawell of Brazil

"Subconscious IV" by Philip Hallawell
Image Copyright © by Philip Hallawell
Oil painting, 50x65 cm, 1983

"This is a painting which is part of a series in which I explore the subconscious."

Image entitled Furies by artist Philip
Hallawell of Brazil

"Furies" by Philip Hallawell
Oil painting, 60x80cm, 1987

"Part of my Iliad series, this painting depicts fury and determination in battle."

Image entitled Love Letter by artist Philip
Hallawell of Brazil

"In 'Love Letter' I painted what I saw when I looked deep into my wife's eyes: myself and the beauty of the world about me reflected in the beauty of her eyes."

Image entitled The Observor II by artist
Philip Hallawell of Brazil

"This is a work that depicts the state of contemplation and reflection, but not of detachment. That is why I chose to use pastels in a vigorous and colorful way, to indicate involvement, but placed the figure in a static position."

Image entitled Metamorphosis 1 by artist Philip
Hallawell of Brazil

"The painting Metamorphosis 1 is the first of a series called Metamorphosis. It is about transforming oneself, channeling one's aggressiveness into creativity."

More of Philip's art work can be viewed
at http://www.cybermind.com.br/hallawell/
Hallawell's email is maolivre@cybermind.com.br

Originally published Apr 17, 2001
Republished Apr 7, 2008, with minor edits

See Hallawell's nude paintings in Images of Eyes Gallery II

Page updated Apr 7, 2008

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