Butters is back in Ocean Grove

Phillip Butters with works from his Evocation exhibition. (Ivan Kemp) 447148_07

Phillip Butters is bringing ‘Evocation’ to Ocean Grove through a collection of paintings three years after his last solo exhibition in the region.

The Hive Gallery will host the artist’s Evocation exhibition from December 6 to January 5, with a special opening event on December 7 at 2pm.

Mr Butters said he tried to “evoke feelings” through his paintings and encouraged viewers to see his paintings through their own eyes.

“I’m very excited to host my exhibition in Ocean Grove and I’ve got about 14 pieces that will be featured,” he said.

“I’m still trying to evolve, and painting is a journey, not a destination… and it’s very exciting when you find a slightly different technique to start working on.

“I do what is called ragging in my works, which a lot of the work is laid on the canvas with a pellet knife and then ragged to make a nice sort of blended colour.

“I don’t necessarily like a lot of hard lines. I do the central part of the painting where paint is laid on the canvas with a pellet knife and then I mist off the background and blend it in.”

Mr Butters’ last solo exhibition in Ocean Grove was titled Luminosity, and it was held at The Hive Gallery in 2021.

He said his new exhibition explored “hazy days and fluid horizon lines” with colour on a journey of memory that helps people recall a time, place, light and mood.