VISUAL ARTS + MUSEUMS

When Houston artist Gordon Phillipson thinks of his childhood in Jamaica, he fondly recalls building and flying model airplanes. To purchase the model kits from shops in England, he sent the order via airmail, using special envelopes marked, ‘Par Avion’, hoping to expedite the shipping time. When the packages did arrive, months later, dented and damaged from the journey by boat, he still thought, “It was better than Christmas.”

Those memories are part of the inspiration for Phillipson’s new exhibit Par Avion which will run through the month of June at Canal Street Gallery. The public is invited to the opening reception from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday, June 5, at the gallery’s 2219 Canal Street location.

While Phillipson enjoys painting many subjects, this exhibit draws on his childhood memories -- showcasing vintage airplanes. “It’s a craze, really, my passion for airplanes,” Phillipson explains. “It’s the beauty of the airplane, the color, the tautness of the beaten metal and canvas skin, the perfection of the machine. It’s the ability to fly. It’s almost as if I don’t want to fly in one -- I want to be one.” Phillipson also collected stamps as a child. “They had these fantastic colors and images on them, from wildlife to heads of state, and airplanes, and they were all beautiful,” he said.

The exhibit will feature a series of 10 watercolors inspired by old monochromatic postage stamps, each depicting a prewar or World War II vintage airplane. The connection with childhood is important for Phillipson, who agrees with the notion that to be an artist, one must “be in touch with one’s inner child -- the uninhibited child, the self-indulgent child even.” Phillipson explains that the subject matter for his art is drawn from his life’s experiences. “My art is a reflection of my desire to express an appreciation for those experiences which moved me, which startled me, which excited me,” he said.

Phillipson has studied art and painted since he retired about 10 years ago, following a career in Exploration and Production with Shell, and as an executive with IBM. He attributes his ability to capture structure and detail in his paintings, as well as the discipline required to use watercolors, to his background in engineering. Still Phillipson said he enjoys challenging himself. “I’m always looking for new ways to represent familiar subjects, which is why I tried these monochromatic airplane paintings. This is how I can explore a more abstract feeling in a realistic painting.” “As soon as I get tired of art, I will go back to building model airplanes,” he laughs. “But I haven’t gotten tired of it yet.”

For more information, visit www.canalstreetgallery.com.