BCCS’ “The Art of Recovery” Program: Celebrated Artist Rick Phillips Helps Clients Find Joy in Painting

WILMINGTON, Del., Feb. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — As one of Delaware’s most-esteemed living artists, fine-arts painter Rick Phillips is doing what he wants to do. “When I get up in the morning to paint, it’s not work,” he said. “You get that feeling in your belly, this is what I really want to do. I’m living the life.”

SHARING SERENITY AND FULFILLMENT
Fine art has also given the former commercial artist a serenity and fulfilment he hopes to bring to those recovering from substance abuse and mental illness through the Brandywine Counseling and Community Services (BCCS) “The Art of Recovery” program. Phillips is donating his talent, time, materials and the use of his Darley House studio to conduct classes for a total of 28 BCCS clients. Four sessions will each be open to seven participants, free of charge, with BCCS providing transportation.

For Phillips, an inner peace – which he describes akin to religious – happened when he made the change from commercial illustrator to fine artist. “The feeling of fulfillment; that’s one of the big differences between painting and what I was doing as a graphic designer.”

HELPING OTHERS FIND JOY IN PAINTING
Through his teaching, he’s also watched art bring about a transformation in others. “They’re finding joy in painting. They’re relieving stress with their art. A little bit of instruction improves what they are doing and makes them feel better, thankful and happy,” he said.

As a teacher, Phillips said he receives from his students as much as he gives. “You are kind of painting through these people. They’re almost like the medium; you’re sharing and you’re also learning.”

Phillips credits that continuous learning as part of his success as an artist. “The thing that has really helped me is knowing that I don’t know it all. Anytime you do a painting, you’re starting over.”

SHARING WHAT HE RECEIVED
Conducting art classes is also a way for Phillips to give back some of what he received from his teachers, including those at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. “They were professional artists and they taught. I always thought that would be cool. Enjoying what you do is worth a lot.”

There was also the high school art teacher who was a fan of Andrew Wyeth. Phillips’s work is imbued with Wyeth-like touches, as well as influences from the European impressionists and American expatriate painter John Singer Sargent. Yet, Phillips’s style and subjects are distinctly his own, including art featuring his own vintage Schwinn bicycles, along with local landscapes and still-life paintings.

The evocative brush strokes and shimmering luminosity are far different from the photo-realistic work of his career as an illustrator (“the client wants a waffle with some fruit”). But, the ability to work quickly carries over. “If I had to paint something realistic, or spend too much time, I’d get bored. I paint what I want. If I like it, I sell it. If not, it goes into a pile.”

He hopes the participants in The Art of Recovery program will find a similar freedom. When approached with the idea of conducting the classes, Phillips thought it was “an awesome idea.” And while there are elements of art therapy, he doesn’t consider himself an art therapist. “The art will do the healing, not the artist,” he said. “It’s like I just write the prescription.”

For more about BCCS’ The Art of Recovery Program, contact BCCS CEO Dr. Lynn Fahey at [email protected] or (302) 225-9269.