Phil Baird

M.F.A. M.A.F.

Welcome to my Home. Here you can discover more about me from drawings and colour work, through the books I've made and music I've played, and through films, events and other involvements. Please feel free to contact me with any comments, suggestions or further information requests.

My most recent work:

Work shown (left) :

 

Cork People (a)

 

Cork Conversations (b)

Work shown (above & L) :

 

Conversation 1 (a)

 

Conversation 2 (b)

 

Conversation 3 (c)

 

Community Group

Conversation 1 (d)

 

Community Group

Conversation 2 (e)

 

Group Conversation 1 (f)

 

Group Conversation 2 (g)

Recent visitor to my studio, Robert Robertson of ocatilloaudiovisual, took some photos shown below. Check out his website.

Phil Senior Art School Animal Animation

Animation above, documentary below.

A brief documentary about outsider artist Phil Baird. (click image)

Flynn Greenwood's entry into the 2019 Raw Vision short film competition.

Ambassador interview: Phil Baird

by outsideinpallant

 

This latest blog post is written by Phil Baird, an Outside In Ambassador. He was asked to share his thoughts on the role, explain why he wanted to be involved and what he would say to others thinking about signing up.

 

The first thing about being an ambassador is that it is a privilege that I am very grateful with.

 

What then is the role of an Outside in Ambassador? Firstly the role and idea of being an Ambassador is very new one although there is a quite early painting in the National Gallery called The Ambassadors by Hans Holbein so perhaps here is a longer history of art ambassadors than is currently known?? I think the primary aims are to represent the group that has come together under the umbrella of the Outside In parasol.

 

I have formally taken part in the specific role as a contact and explainer at the Outside in exhibition at the renowned Sotheby's, so partly a front of house curator element. While at Sotheby's I am pleased to have met Hans at base the door man and at best the host who has a similar job and I personally think of him as an Outside In Ambassador of an unusual sort, he greets people and is informed about the artist and visitors and even patrons with some knowledge of the art itself. I try to understand the art and keep it simple there are ideas and concepts within artists of the Outside In community, however mostly not bound up in huge writings and critical theory.

 

What  holds together the 'Outside Iners' is that the art works is hand produced/crafted, a makers art, with every imaginable materials from traditional materials such as cotton duck canvas to cardboard packaging and even sealed condoms. I have also run workshops, one in particular at Stow Market, Suffolk, with the sculptor Anthony Carry - yes there was the workshop materials facilitating materials and participants - so also running a workshop is part of the ambassador role and [to] give information about the organisation so if you have done any of the step up training you are well on the way to becoming an Outside in Ambassador and in for a smooth transition of an expanding role.

 

Also ambassadors each have their individual networks; friends, contacts, artist pals, organisations and groups so each person can develop personal approaches. Many Outside In peeps, are quite vulnerable and face huge challenges quite apart from art barriers and it is respect for these differences, and that when providing ambassadorial support, [knowing] each person has different support needs that change over time. So also combining sensitivity with strength.

 

The role also includes simple acts of giving such as placing information in places where interested persons can find them so the leaflets are distributed and at least read or followed up on.

 

This is really enjoyable as there are images in the literature to look at and so our artists work forms part of a community culture with its symbols made and created by ourselves AS A COMMUNITY OF MAKERS, not only artworks but appreciators and also even collectors and galleries of all sorts for everyone.

 

Also to talk about the work in a language that the other can understand so like the ambassadors  of countries in the picture Holbein painted - understanding,  translating, appreciating appraisals of, in our case, the Outside In artists' work.

 

To find out more about being an ambassador, click HERE

 

To see Phil's artwork, click HERE

Five Hundred Pieces

New! A film made by Anna Bowman about the artists (of whom I was one) who took part in the "Memories… There's Always Tomorrow exhibition" at St Pancras Hospital earlier in the Summer of 2018. On my Films page here.

I had a drawing in the New Outside In Launch Exhibition @ Sotheby's, 34-35 New Bond Street. Private View 11th January 2018 @ 6.30.

The show ran from the 11th to the 19th of January 2018,

 

The Guardian has written an article about the Outside In exhibition at Sothebys: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2018/jan/03/outsider-art-exhibition-sothebys-london-cardboard-chewing-gum-celebrity-spectres

Latest Exhibition

 

An exciting exhibition of new and retrospective work is on show at Arts Network, 8-12, Eltham Road, Lee, London SE12 8TF from 18th November 2017 until January 2018

Recent Event

 

Parallel LondonFree Family Festival: Drake Music connect and collaborate band appeared on the main Stage Olympic Park Sunday the 3rd September.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

www.parallellondon.com

The fun run is only the beginning. Our free family festival is a colourful celebration of inclusivity. Featuring nine exciting zones, Parallel London 2017 will have something for everyone.

 

Arts Network New Premises, 8 -12 Eltham Road, Lee Green. Reception Gallery inaugural Exhibition by Phil Baird current through till end September. An exhibition of drawings, assemblages, decorated boxes and tiny canvases.  Ring 0208 8522849 for opening times and full information.

Recently shown "Drawings" at The Café Below, St Mary-Le-Bow, Cheapside near St Pauls and Bank Station till end of June 2016.

Also recently shown as part of The Two Phils, dedicated to Nick Shaw, at The Salome Gallery, ended 29th July 2016

Salome Art Gallery, SHARP Team, 308-312 Brixton Road, London SW9 6AA, Tel: 020 3228 7050

 

Also:

Resonate:

 

A celebratory evening of music showcasing the work of Drake Music, an organisation supporting the work of disabled musicians.

Featuring "Connect & Collaborate", an improvisatory group of which I am a performer.

 

Friday, 17th March, 2017, 7.30pm @ The Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), The Mall, London, SW1Y 5AH

 

PS: My second performance at the ICA. The first was 40 years ago as part of the "Kissing Bandits" barber quartet, as part of the Young Contemporaries Showcase.