Phil (Phillip) Alder. Artist's Biography.

 

Details.

Born 1951 in South London, where his father was from, grew up briefly in North Wales, where his mother was from and then in Essex. Moved to South West Wales 1975 and has had a long and varied career in the arts and as a practicing artist.

Public Collections

Carmarthenshire County Museum.
Arts Council of Wales (disaggregated collection).
West Wales Association for the Arts (disaggregated collection).
National Library of Wales.
Carmarthenshire College of Technology and Arts,  Faculty of  Science and  Computation (disaggregated collection).
Pembrokeshire  Museum Service.
Diocese of St. David.

 

Single or Joint Exhibitions

2024.  'Phil Alder - Studio Paintings'. Gallery 57, Newport, Gwent.

2022.'Phil Alder. Paintings. 1972 - 2022'Retrospective Exhibition, Carmarthenshire Museum.
2021. 'Recent Paintings' Queen St; Gallery. Neath.
2019. ‘I come to my garden….’ Paintings by Phillip Alder.  Stiwdio 3 Cardigan.
2018. ‘I come to my garden….’ Paintings by Phillip Alder.  King Street Gallery, Carmarthen.
2018. ‘Phil Alder In the Spotlight – Four paintings about four gardens’. King Street Gallery, Carmarthen.
2011. ‘Phil Alder - Red Granite’.Aberdare. Rhondda Cynon Taf Museums and Galleries.
2010. ‘Full Circle – Cylch Cyflawn. Phil Alder’. Pembrokeshire Cultural Services.
2009. ‘Full Circle – Cylch Cyflawn. Phil Alder’.  King Street Gallery, Carmarthen.
2006. ‘Edge Paintings’, Phil Alder’. King Street Gallery, Carmarthen.
1994. ‘Summer Exhibition’. (Guest Artist). White Room Gallery,  Harlech,
1991.‘Natur a Brogarwch / Nature and  Place’. Phillip Alder.  National Library of Wales.
1989. ‘Paintings of a Valley and Jack in the Green. Phil Alder’. Hereford City Museum and Art Gallery.  
1989. ‘Arhyd Cwmgwili. Phil Alder’. Neville Gallery, Llanelli.
1988. ‘Paintings Phillip Alder’. Haverfordwest Library Gallery.
1988. ‘Hiving a Swarm. Phillip Alder’. Oriel Henri Thomas, Dyfed College of Art.
1988. ‘Myths and Monuments Phillip Alder  and  Lorna Green’  Wrexham  Arts Centre.
1988. ‘Jack-in-the-Green  - Phil Alder’. Glynn  Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea.
1988. ‘Jack-in-the-Green - Phil Alder’. Llanover Hall Arts Centre. Cardiff.
1981. ‘Phillip Alder, Paintings’. Torch Theatre Gallery. Milford Haven.
1977. ‘Phillip Alder - Work in Progress’. West Wales Association for the Arts.
1976. ‘Phillip Alder’. Hull Arts Centre.

Selected Other Exhibitions.

2021 2023. 'Pembrokeshire Past and Present', Permanent Display. National Libray of Wales. Riverside Annexe, Haverfordwest.
2019. onwards. Gallery Artists Exhibitions. Queen St; Gallery, Neath..
2018 2021.  Mixed Exhibitions. ‘off the wall gallery’, Cardiff,
2018. Mixed Exhibitions. Oriel Q, Narberth.  
2015. Mixed Exhibitions: Oriel Q, Narberth.  Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea.   
1995. Kilkenny  Arts  Festival.  ‘Spectrwm’. (Guest  Exhibitor).
1994. Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. Portraits, People & Trees. (Guest Exhibitor)  
1990. Swansea Arts Workshop. ‘Welsh Landscape’.
1990 – 1995.  West Wales Centre for Arts. Fishguard.
1990. Mixed Exhibition.  Albany Gallery, Cardiff.  
1986 – 1991. Gallery Artists. Mumbles Gallery. Swansea
1983. Welsh Group / Arts Council Wales. ‘Wales Cymru ’National Library of Wales.
1983 – 1995. Gallery Artists. Attic Gallery. Swansea
1983. Mxed Exhibition. The Gallery. Cardiff.
1982. 1983, 1989. Mid-Wales Open. Aberwystwyth Arts Centre.  
1980, 1993. National Eisteddfod of Wales.
1978. Carmarthen  Museum.  ‘Phil Alder,  Dave Crawford, Sally Moss’.
1978. West Wales Association for the Arts. Artists and Designers in Wales (AADW).
1978 – 1982. Mission Gallery, Swansea. Artists and Designers in Wales. Carmarthen Annual Exhibitions.
1977. Welsh Group / Arts Council Wales. ‘Blue to 100’.
1974 – 1975. Gallery Artists. Upper St; Gallery. Islington, London.
1973. Borough of Beverley. East Riding Artists.
1972,1973,1975. Ferens Art Gallery, Hull. ‘Feren's Winter Exhibition’.

Awards,
Arts Council Wales. Research and Development 2010.
West Wales Association for the Arts 1989.
West Wales Association for the Arts 1977.

Selected Bibliography.

Geoff Brown and Morrigan Mason. Overview and Introduction. Phil Alder Paintings 1972-2022  Catalogue. (Pub CofGar Carmarhenshire County Council 2022)
Ann Dorsett.    Forward 'Recent Paintings 2015 - 2020' Catalogue.

Western Mail. 'Lockdown Art' 'Balearic Garden' photo-featured. Oct 2020.
Lowri Thomas.    Spotlight on Phillip Alder. Q&A. Queen St; Gallery Blog. 2020.
Mark Rees.    ‘Art influenced by outdoors’. Carmarthen Journal / Llanelli Star. March 2018.
Matt Pearce.    Phil Alder Q&A. King Street Gallery. On-line Newsletter. March 2018.
Dr. Peter Jones, Isabel Hitchman.  Entry in A Dictionary of Artists in Wales. (pub; Gomer) 2015.
Linda Guy.    ‘Kaleidoscope of colour from a bee’s eye perspective’. Carmarthen Journal.  January 1988.
Ann Dorsett.    ‘Spirit of Place’. Exhibition Catalogue, (supported  by West Wales Arts.)  1987.
Graham Evans.     ‘Who Carmarthen?’ South Wales Evening Post. 1981.
Roger Moss.     ‘Phillip Alder. Exhibition’. Link No; 9 ( pub  A.A.D.W. )  1977.
James Neal.    ‘Phillip Alder Exhibition’. Yorkshire Post February 1975.

Selected Published Essays

2021. Notes on My Painting. Winter Magazine. Fishguard Arts Society.
2019. Looking at Paintings. Series of 8 essays considering paintings as visual texts. King Street Gallery. On-line Newsletter.
2014. Edith Lodwick, copy edited. (pub; King Street Gallery).
1994. Introduction  ‘The Intricate Image’  Tony Evans  (pub; Llanelli Borough Council)
1989. The Celtic Light of Pete Davis, Radical Wales  No; 22.
1985. Mary  Lloyd Jones, Link  No; 51 (pub;  A.A.D.W)
1984. Graham Sutherland, Link No; 43  (pub;  A.A.D.W)    
1979. Pete Davis, Jonathen Owen.    Link No; 16  (pub; A.A.D.W).
1988 – 1996. Various catalogue introductions as County Arts Officer, Dyfed County Council.

Public Life
Tiwy Gateway Trust (a garden restoration trust), trustee and vice –chair. 2017 - Present
King Street Gallery, Carmarthen, Chairman, Director, Member. 2006 - 2018
Procedure Senior Examiner. University Wales, Trinity St David. 2014 - 2017
External Examiner, University Wales, Trinity St David. School of Business. 2013 - 2014
Faculty Board Performance (transition)  University Wales, Trinity St David. 2013
Faculty Board Arts and Social Sciences University Wales, Trinity, Carmarthen. 2010 - 2013
Elected Representative National Executive Artists and Designers of Wales (AADW). 1981 -1985.
Managed Artist’s studio spaces, Carmarthen. 1982 -1984

Swimming Teacher / Coach. 2013 - Present

Represented By.

Queen St; Gallery, Neath. 2018 - present
White Court Art. 2017 - present
off the wall, Cardiff. 2014 – present.
King Street Gallery. Carmarthen, 2006 – 2018.
artsource.org 2007 – 2010
Art Matters, Tenby  2007
West Wales Centre for Arts. Fishguard 1990 – 1995
Attic Gallery, Swansea, 1983 – 1995
Mumbles Gallery, Swansea. 1986 - 1991
Arts for Offices. London 1987 – 1989
Upper Street Gallery. Islington. 1974 – 1975

Art Training.
After a brief spell in industry Phillip initially studied to be an art and economics teacher and later studied art history. His career always deep in art, as a lecturer, arts manager and artist. Phil always welcomed critiques and discussions with artists and appreciated, in particular, dialogue with two superb colourists: when he was beginning seriously as an artist, with Mike Chilton, and later with Mary Lloyd Jones when he was returning and re-establishing  purpose after his work as an arts and theatre manager and curator.