The pandemic gave Astrid Phillips the push she needed to discover her love for art.
Trying to build her personal training business and working at gyms when the pandemic hit, Phillips decided it was time to try something new.
Always a “crafty” person, she signed up for an art class and loved it.
“COVID was a tumultuous time and changed what we thought was important,” she said.
“I just decided that if I was going to do something, it might as well be something I enjoy.
“I’ve always been a creative soul and the type to like getting my hands dirty … but I’d never been much of an artist.
“There was a bit of luck, but I signed up at Oxygen College … and gave it a try.
“I did one lesson of lino-cutting and really enjoyed it.”
Phillips enjoyed it so much that she started doing it at home, and now has her prints on display as part of a group exhibition at The Space gallery in Newtown.
Linocut printing is an art where designs are cut into linoleum, which is then covered with ink and pressed onto paper.
Phillips said she enjoyed the precise nature of the art and the bold results it produced.
“I just enjoy it,” she said.
“Faces are my favourite to do … I like to take a black and white photograph and try to recreate it.
“I’ve done probably about 20 prints now since February and it is so much fun.”
Phillips said she was excited to see her work on display as part of a group exhibition.
“I never thought I’d be part of an exhibition, but it’s really great,” she said.
“There’s three other artists, Claire Roussac, Jennifer Barnes and Janicke Johansen, in the exhibition … we were all put together because Mandy [Dollery, gallery owner] thought they all complemented each other well.”
The exhibition, Clarity, opened last Friday and runs at The Space, 17d Rutland Street Newtown, until November 27.
