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Philip Westcott
Born 1951
Lives and works in Salford, UK
www.philipwestcott.co.uk

Westcott's work over the last 20 years has
predominantly consisted of landscapes and
cityscapes painted in oils around the northwest
region of England.
In his landscape paintings, he tends towards
hidden views of secret places rather than the
more usual and traditional panoramic views.
These paintings, according to Westcott, "...show
the peace and tranquillity that are to be found in
isolated places of beauty".
Though abstraction has predominated the
art world in recent times, Westcott sees the
landscape as having a long tradition in English
painting, a tradition which is in danger of being
lost in the modern media-orientated society. He
believes that artists should continue to capture
the landscape while it survives, before spreading
towns and motorways destroy it forever. When
painting landscape, many artists focus on
traditional panoramic views.

Although Westcott acknowledges this valuable
interpretation, he has tried to capture the
more hidden view in much of his work. His
paintings show the peace and tranquility to be
found in isolated places of beauty. People are
absent, but the pathways indicate their passing
presence. His paintings aim to be a tribute to the
northern landscape.

Westcott comments on his inspiration for painting
landscapes; ”Here, my paintings focus on the
hidden view rather than large panoramas.
These are painted initially in watercolour and
then translated in larger oil paintings. Freedom
and spontaneity are important and the use of
a palette knife in these works allows me both.
My landscapes are fragmented. As natural
sunlight fi lters through the branches, the images
highlighted are the colours and shapes of nature.
I hope, by the use of texture, I have captured the
depth that can be found in woodland scenes."
Left: Lane, Wales, 2004, Oil.
PHILIP WESTCOTT studied at Salford Grammar School and h: 150cm w: 100cm d: 4cm, Artist’s Collection.
later at the City of Leeds College.
Above: Stream, 2006, Oil.
h: 150cm w: 100cm d: 4cm, Artist’s Collection.
Right: Stream, Colwyn, 2009, Oil.
h: 150cm w: 100cm d: 4cm, Artist’s Collection.

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