phil davies

Like the great masters of this tradition, Poussin, David, Ingres and Picasso, Davies is a skilful exponent of pictorial theatre. In fact, he describes his practice as of someone who writes the play, directs the actors, designs and makes the props and lights the stage, a highly unusual definition of painting but entirely appropriate as Davies is an unusual painter. He believes that mystery can be a potent force in a painted image, that the sense of painting should emerge slowly. He believes that paintings should have undercurrents as well as surface currents. He believes in ambiguity and in the tension generated by opposites.

The Sap Still Rises 95 x 90 cm oil on canvas

The Sap Still Rises 95 x 90 cm oil on canvas

The Collector 113 x 108 cm oil on canvas

The Collector 113 x 108 cm oil on canvas

All The Time In The World 120 x 110 cm oil on canvas

All The Time In The World 120 x 110 cm oil on canvas

Deep In The Woods 120 x 110 cm oil on canvas

Deep In The Woods 120 x 110 cm oil on canvas

Despite Their Differences They Continued To Dance 84 x 84 cm oil on canvas

Despite Their Differences They Continued To Dance 84 x 84 cm oil on canvas

Fashioned With Familiars 120 x 110 cm oil on canvas

Fashioned With Familiars 120 x 110 cm oil on canvas

Older Wood, Darker Flowers 95 x 90 cm oil on canvas

Older Wood, Darker Flowers 95 x 90 cm oil on canvas

A World Of Birds (From The Indefinable Substance) 90 x 95 cm oil on canvas

A World Of Birds (From The Indefinable Substance) 90 x 95 cm oil on canvas

The Reader Ⅰ 110 x 120 cm oil on canvas

The Reader Ⅰ 110 x 120 cm oil on canvas

A Shorter Leash 59 x 64 cm oil on canvas

A Shorter Leash 59 x 64 cm oil on canvas

Believe It Or Not 85 x 85 cm oil on canvas

Believe It Or Not 85 x 85 cm oil on canvas

Brave Captain 110 x 120 cm oil on canvas

Brave Captain 110 x 120 cm oil on canvas

Charming The Birds Out Of The Trees 100 x 118 cm oil on canvas

Charming The Birds Out Of The Trees 100 x 118 cm oil on canvas

Voodoo Walker Or This Wide 110 x 120 cm oil on canvas

Voodoo Walker Or This Wide 110 x 120 cm oil on canvas

From Within The Dim 120 x 106 cm oil on canvas

From Within The Dim 120 x 106 cm oil on canvas

Girls In The Woods 104 x 108 cm oil on canvas

Girls In The Woods 104 x 108 cm oil on canvas

The Rain Dance 85 x 85 cm oil on canvas

The Rain Dance 85 x 85 cm oil on canvas

A Biscuit Dunked In Wine 108 x 111 cm oil on canvas

A Biscuit Dunked In Wine 108 x 111 cm oil on canvas

Tune One: Flipping The Dog 110 x 120 cm oil on canvas

Tune One: Flipping The Dog 110 x 120 cm oil on canvas

The Connoisseur 121 x 105 cm oil on canvas

The Connoisseur 121 x 105 cm oil on canvas

The Girls Go Walking 104 x 108 cm oil on canvas

The Girls Go Walking 104 x 108 cm oil on canvas

How To Bring The House Down 85 x 85 cm oil on canvas

How To Bring The House Down 85 x 85 cm oil on canvas

Precious Resource 110 x 120 cm oil on canvas

Precious Resource 110 x 120 cm oil on canvas

Old Render And The Bricks Beneath 108 x 111 cm oil on canvas

Old Render And The Bricks Beneath 108 x 111 cm oil on canvas

Tales From The River Bank 110 x 120 cm oil on canvas

Tales From The River Bank 110 x 120 cm oil on canvas

The Bird Lays An Egg 110 x 120 cm oil on canvas

The Bird Lays An Egg 110 x 120 cm oil on canvas

He Sees More When Alone 70 x 64 cm oil on canvas

He Sees More When Alone 70 x 64 cm oil on canvas

He Bites 70 x 64 cm oil on canvas

He Bites 70 x 64 cm oil on canvas

Late Reader 30 x 25 cm oil on canvas

Late Reader 30 x 25 cm oil on canvas

Le Regard Oblique 50 x 50 cm oil on canvas

Le Regard Oblique 50 x 50 cm oil on canvas

The Old Explorer Began To See Things 85 x 85 cm oil on canvas

The Old Explorer Began To See Things 85 x 85 cm oil on canvas

Shades 32 x 27 cm oil on canvas

Shades 32 x 27 cm oil on canvas

The Captain Salutes You 25 x 20 cm oil on canvas

The Captain Salutes You 25 x 20 cm oil on canvas

The Dog Could Dance But To What Tune 70 x 65 cm oil on canvas

The Dog Could Dance But To What Tune 70 x 65 cm oil on canvas

Bifold Table 30 x 25 cm oil on canvas

Bifold Table 30 x 25 cm oil on canvas

Still Life (Vases) 25 x 30 cm oil on canvas

Still Life (Vases) 25 x 30 cm oil on canvas

Illuminati 20 x 20 cm oil on canvas

Illuminati 20 x 20 cm oil on canvas

Gander 30 x 25 cm oil on canvas

Gander 30 x 25 cm oil on canvas

Two Bottles 25 x 20 cm oil on canvas

Two Bottles 25 x 20 cm oil on canvas

Black Vase 25 x 25 cm oil on canvas

Black Vase 25 x 25 cm oil on canvas

Last Of The Summer Fruit Ⅱ 20 x 20 cm oil on canvas

Last Of The Summer Fruit Ⅱ 20 x 20 cm oil on canvas

Last Of The Summer Fruit Ⅰ 20 x 20 cm oil on canvas

Last Of The Summer Fruit Ⅰ 20 x 20 cm oil on canvas

Red Window 20 x 20 cm oil on canvas

Red Window 20 x 20 cm oil on canvas

Four Black Squares 25 x 20 cm oil on canvas

Four Black Squares 25 x 20 cm oil on canvas

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44

The Sap Still Rises 95 x 90 cm oil on canvas

The Collector 113 x 108 cm oil on canvas

All The Time In The World 120 x 110 cm oil on canvas

Deep In The Woods 120 x 110 cm oil on canvas

Despite Their Differences They Continued To Dance 84 x 84 cm oil on canvas

Fashioned With Familiars 120 x 110 cm oil on canvas

Older Wood, Darker Flowers 95 x 90 cm oil on canvas

A World Of Birds (From The Indefinable Substance) 90 x 95 cm oil on canvas

The Reader Ⅰ 110 x 120 cm oil on canvas

A Shorter Leash 59 x 64 cm oil on canvas

Believe It Or Not 85 x 85 cm oil on canvas

Brave Captain 110 x 120 cm oil on canvas

Charming The Birds Out Of The Trees 100 x 118 cm oil on canvas

Voodoo Walker Or This Wide 110 x 120 cm oil on canvas

From Within The Dim 120 x 106 cm oil on canvas

Girls In The Woods 104 x 108 cm oil on canvas

The Rain Dance 85 x 85 cm oil on canvas

A Biscuit Dunked In Wine 108 x 111 cm oil on canvas

Tune One: Flipping The Dog 110 x 120 cm oil on canvas

The Connoisseur 121 x 105 cm oil on canvas

The Girls Go Walking 104 x 108 cm oil on canvas

How To Bring The House Down 85 x 85 cm oil on canvas

Precious Resource 110 x 120 cm oil on canvas

Old Render And The Bricks Beneath 108 x 111 cm oil on canvas

Tales From The River Bank 110 x 120 cm oil on canvas

The Bird Lays An Egg 110 x 120 cm oil on canvas

He Sees More When Alone 70 x 64 cm oil on canvas

He Bites 70 x 64 cm oil on canvas

Late Reader 30 x 25 cm oil on canvas

Le Regard Oblique 50 x 50 cm oil on canvas

The Old Explorer Began To See Things 85 x 85 cm oil on canvas

Shades 32 x 27 cm oil on canvas

The Captain Salutes You 25 x 20 cm oil on canvas

The Dog Could Dance But To What Tune 70 x 65 cm oil on canvas

Bifold Table 30 x 25 cm oil on canvas

Still Life (Vases) 25 x 30 cm oil on canvas

Illuminati 20 x 20 cm oil on canvas

Gander 30 x 25 cm oil on canvas

Two Bottles 25 x 20 cm oil on canvas

Black Vase 25 x 25 cm oil on canvas

Last Of The Summer Fruit Ⅱ 20 x 20 cm oil on canvas

Last Of The Summer Fruit Ⅰ 20 x 20 cm oil on canvas

Red Window 20 x 20 cm oil on canvas

Four Black Squares 25 x 20 cm oil on canvas