User:Sallyrollins12/sandbox

Philip S. Steel (born 1 November, 1934) is an American artist who paints people, boats, the shore and the sea in both oils and watercolor. In addition he also teaches watercolor workshops and practiced

architecture for thirty years. Philip is a Signature Member of The American Society of Marine Artists, (A.S.M.A) and Florida Watercolor Society, and a Fellow Member of the American Artist Professional

League. He is published in Marquis Who's Who in American Art.

Early life
Philip S. Steel was born in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania. His ancestors were Quakers and came to Philadelphia with William Penn. His father, Robert Steel was an opera singer and his mother, Beryl Van Horn Steel,

was a leading lady on Broadway. After graduating from Peddie School in Heightstown, New Jersey, he enrolled in Architecture at Pennsylvania State University. Upon passing the Navy ROTC exam, he was awarded a

Navy Reserve scholarship. Having completed the five year Architecture program, Philip served on active duty as an officer in the Navy for two years. and the remaining portion of his reserve obligation, he

changed his designator to Navy Civil Engineer and retired as a Lieutenant Commander of the Civil Engineering Corps. Philip enrolled in University of California, Berkeley, California and completed a Master of Architecture degree. His Architectural apprentice training was with Skidmore, Owings and Merill, San Francisco,

California, and Vincent G. Kling, F.A.I.A., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Philip established a private practice in 1964. He has been published in most major national architectural journals both in this country and abroad. His practice has included the planning of housing projects,

libraries, hi-rise residential condominiums, and providing the design for a variety of other building types including golf clubhouses, sports complexes, hospitals, schools, industrial buildings, corporate

buildings, commercial centers, large scale educational facilities, public buildings and hotels. Additionally, Philip was a design critic and professor at Pennsylvania State University, University of Miami

and Cambridge University, Cambridge, England. He is Past Adjunct professor at Indian River Community College, Vero Beach, Florida.

He is the winner of various Architectural design awards including both Pennsylvania A.I.A. First Honor Award and Distinguished Building Award. Also Vero Beach Mayor’s Design Award and Ft. Pierce Mayors

Design Award twice, the International Torchburner Hotel Design Award and the International Lightweight Structure Award.

Philip’s Architectural professional affiliations included being past State Director of the Pennsylvania Society of the American Institute of Architects, past President of Palm Beach Chapter of the American

Institute of Architects, past Chairman of Landmark Commission for Palm Beach, Florida, Past President of the Rotary Club of Palm Beach, Florida and past Member, Florida State Board of Building Codes and

Standards. Personal Life

In June 1957, Philip was married to Sheridan Foxall in West Chester, Pennsylvania. They had four children,Philip, Amy, Eric and Robert. They were divorced and in May 1979, Philip married his second wife,

Joan MacLean Crawford who had previously been married to Bruce Sparler with whom she had two children, Howard and Chanler. Philip and Joan remain married and are currently living in Maine where Joan manages

the Salty Dog Gallery in Southwest Harbor in which Philip is the resident Artist.

Art
Many times people in his classes, workshops, museum shows or at Salty Dog Gallery in Southwest Harbor, Maine, have asked him why he likes to paint people, boats, the shore and the sea.

He responds “I think my first love affair with the sea began when I was 10, at summer camp on The Chesapeake Bay. The camp owned 7 small dories and made them available to us young campers. Early one morning

the waterfront instructor arranged a day trip across the bay. With a crew of 2 on each boat, our little fleet set off with a good breeze and clear skies. By noon a horrific storm came up the bay. A number of

the crews were frightened out of their wits as the storm plummeted our little dories. Luckily, we all survived. But for me it was an unforgettable exhilarating experience, the beginning of a lifetime love of

the sea's power, a boat's ability, and the visible reaction of people on and about the waterways of the world.” Another question he is often asked is why does he paint. Phil’s response is “ I think the desire to paint is in my genes. My parents and grandparents were artists and musicians. When I was a boy, I couldn't

stop drawing and sketching...and I've never stopped. Teaching I find particularly rewarding when a student finds his/her work suddenly improving. There is nothing more exciting then when their peers begin to admire their work after dedicated hours of practice

and study. Philip’s teaching experience includes: Adjunct Professor: Indian River Community College. Center for the Arts Campus, Vero Beach, FL Course: Advanced Watercolor Instructor: Watercolor Workshops,

Italy (1995), France (1996), Scotland (1997), Mediterranean Cruise (2000) Numerous Workshops: Melbourne, Stuart, Vero Beach, FL Wooden Boat, Brooklin, & Southwest Harbor, ME

He inherited the wanderlust from his maternal grandfather. So, either through sailing in Maine, the Chesapeake Bay, Florida or the Caribbean Basin, or traveling to a foreign county, he was always energized

when he meet people whose lives were affected by the sea. It is these people, their lifestyles, their water craft and their surroundings that he felt compelled to capture.on canvas. In 1999, Phil was sketching on the docks of the only remaining fish house in Fort Pierce, Florida. He was angrily approached by the owner of the facility who thought Phil was with the Florida Fish and

Wildlife. Although the banning of certain types of net fishing in Florida had taken place several years earlier, Phil learned of the staggering affect the ban had on generations of fishing families. The

frustration felt by these fishermen fairly roiled just below the surface of their feelings. The result of this encounter added a new dimension to Phil's art He was determined to capture the lives of the

commercial fishermen. Philip and writer Evelyn Wilde Mayerson formed a ground breaking partnership to document the fascinating history of Florida's Commercial coastal fishermen. The result ,"Net Loss" gave a

voice to those who had virtually given up on ever having a public forum to express their sense of loss and helplessness. "Net Loss" was performed across the entire State of Florida as a unique combination of

a one man mono drama and a traveling art exhibit. The actor, Joel Kolker, referred to Phil’s paintings which were behind him on the stage. “Net Loss" also focused on a larger issue, the issue of art as a

social commentator. Next, Phil and author Roger Vaughn completed a book and play entitled “ Fishing Gone”about the water men of Tangier Island in the Chesapeake Bay. They captured the uniqueness of this

Island and the challenges facing the water men who have been there for more then three hundred years. The Tangier History Museum & Interpretive Cultural Center sponsored this second phase of art as a social

commentator. The play showed at ten locations around the Chesapeake Bay, including The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC.

In 2011, author/playwright, Eva Murray teamed up with Phil to not only produce a play titled “On the Edge”, but also to make a television production. Television producer Jeff Dobbs video televised On the

Edge in Northeast Harbor, Maine. The plan is to produce all three plays as a documentary for regional and National Public Television. Presently the made for television documentary is titled "Voices from the

Edge of the Sea”. The main purpose of this production is to inform the general public about the disappearance of our Maine island fishing villages as most small farms disappeared the previous century. In 2011, Philip’s watercolor painting “The Race” was chosen by the National Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for their 2011 poster and public relations material for all their races across the country.In 2013,

Philip was asked to produce a painting of which a full size giclee prints will be auctioned at all of their sailboat racing venues in United States.

Partial List of Awards:

 * First Place Oil: Annual Four County Juried Exhibition, Backus Gallery, Fort Pierce,FL 2002
 * Honorable Mention Award: American Artists Professional League, Salmagundi Gallery, New York, NY
 * First Place National George Gray Medal Award for 2000:
 * Salmagundi Gallery, New York, NY Silver Brush Award: Florida Watercolor Society,
 * Melvin Gallery, Lakeland, FL 1997 Second Place Watercolor: Annual Four County Juried Exhibition,
 * Backus Gallery, Fort Pierce, FL 1995 First Place Watercolor: Annual Four County Juried Exhibition,
 * Backus Gallery, Fort Pierce, FL 1996 & 1997
 * Sanford Studio Award: North East Watercolor Society’s Annual National Exhibition, Kent Art Association, Kent, Conn. 1996
 * Gallery Award: Tri-State Exhibition, LeMoyne Art Foundation, Tallahassee, FL 1995 Second Place: St. Lucie County Professional Arts League
 * Regional Exhibition, Port St. Lucie, FL 1997 Second Place: American Reflections Florida Juried Exhibit,
 * Backus Museum, FL 2002 Merit Award: Coos Bay National Juried Show, Coos Bay, Oregon, Summer 2004, 2006
 * Honorable Mention: National Penn Club, New York, NY 2004

Regional and National Juried Shows:

 * Pennsylvania Watercolor Society National Juried Exhibition, Hershey, PA Florida Watercolor Society,
 * Signature Member Center for the Arts, Vero Beach Art Club Juried Exhibition, Vero Beach, FL
 * Lemoyne Art Foundation Tri-State Exhibition, Lemoyne Museum, Tallahassee, FL
 * Northeast Watercolor Society National Juried Exhibition, Kent Museum, Kent, Conn.
 * Artists’ Forum, Annual Juried Exhibition, Brevard Museum of Art, Melbourne, FL
 * St. Lucie County Professional Arts League Juried Exhibition, Port Saint Lucie, FL
 * McKee Botanical Garden & Cultural Council of Indian River County, Nature Event Paint-Out, Vero Beach, FL
 * The Backus Four County Juried Exhibit, Fort Pierce, FL
 * The Fisher Gallery, National Jurried Exhibition, Albuquerque, New Mexico
 * Art Fest ‘98, Juried Exhibit of Regional Fine Art, Stuart, FL
 * American Society of Marine Artists, Delaware River Museum, Wilmington, Delaware

One Man and Small Group Exhibits:

 * Backus Gallery Four County Artist Exhibition: 1995, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, Fort Pierce, FL
 * Causeway Club, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, Southwest Harbor, ME
 * Center for the Arts Annual Faculty Exhibit, 1995,1996, 1997, 1998 Vero Beach, FL
 * Atwater Kent Gallery: One Man Exhibit, 1995, Newtown Square, PA
 * Artist Guild Gallery: One Man Exhibit, 1995, 1996 Vero Beach, FL
 * Art Show at Windsor: Small Group Exhibit, 1996, Windsor, FL
 * Vero Beach Library: One Man Retrospective Exhibit, 1995, Vero Beach, FL
 * Mariboe Gallery: One Man Exhibit, 1997, The Peddie School, Hightstown, NJ
 * Brush Strokes Gallery: Two Person Exhibit, 1998, Ft. Pierce, FL
 * Salty Dog Gallery One Man Exhibits, 2003 through 2013, Southwest Harbor, ME

Reviews of Performance Art Plays
Review of the performance of "Net Loss", Apalachicola, Florida by Ms. Dixie Partington, Executive Director,Dixie Theater:"What a treat, this program of "Net Loss"! I have seen many great works of Art in my

life, here in this country as well as Europe and Britain; Phil Steel is an incredible talent. He has truly captured the essence of life in the fishing world; you could almost smell the salt air as you took

in his paintings. I wanted to have each of them for myself. It won't be long before he rockets to stardom. . . ." NET LOSS REVIEW by Edgar Straeffer, Chairman, Cultural Affairs Council, St. Lucie Co. Fl."When the house lights go down in the Black box Theater, on Indian River Community College's Fort Pierce campus,

Philip Steel's paintings jump to life. Twelve paintings portraying fishermen and their work are the set for a one character performance about the powerful effects the net ban caused on Florida's commercial

fishermen and their families. . . .Rarely does the set of a play express the situations and emotions of a script. Steel's large paintings show fishermen in their every day work environment, one painting at a

time. An intimate bar scene of fishermenswapping stories on a bad weather day seems to give way to a large, stormy seascape, with a lone commercial fishing boat slicing through the seas. Each painting could

stand alone for its vibrant composition and affectionate subject matter. Together they offer vista of the robust routine of making a living from the coastal and offshore waters that make Florida a peninsula.

..

DON’T MISS IT: Jack Connolly, V.P., Vero Beach Opera Guild, Vero Beach, Fl.Black Box Theater, Fort Pierce, Florida - "Net Loss" is a dramatic production that debates different perspectives of commercial

fishing. This amazing program has captured the imagination, eyes, mind and critical discussion of its viewers. This pictorial essay brings together a playwright, an artist, an actor and the audience. It

explores the feelings of a seventh generation Florida commercial fishing family as it examines the dilemma of survival. You will travel on their fishing boats, listen to their comments, and experience a

sociological and historical statement being made. .The tour includes 12 original oil paintings by artist Phil Steel, a dramatization of a fictitious fishing history by playwright Evelyn Mayerson, and it is

brought together on stage by 30 year veteran actor Joel Kolker. . . . "

IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT....by Larry S. Chowning, Southside Sentinal, Oct. 1, 2009 Review of “Fishing Gone” An entire culture may be lost forever: This wonderful play is much more far reaching than the Chesapeake Bay. It brings out a nationwide dilemma that commercial fishing cultures

through the entire United States are facing hard times. The essence of the play is about the realty of an entire culture being lost forever.

Moorhead Kennedy, Review of “ On the Edge ” performance art play, August 31st. 2013 Just a quick note to tell you how much we, like so many others, enjoyed and learned from 'On the Edge". Living year-round on the Coast of Maine makes one somewhat aware that life on the islands has its

problems, as well as some wonderful features. "On the Edge" brought all these home, sharpening our awareness through its realism, and drama.

Review of “On the Edge’ by Sandra Fenton. September 2nd, 2013, Mount Desert Island, ME Congratulations on the really fun and informative performance, On the Edge. It obviously took a lot of your time and, as

always, your paintings were phenomenal! I read in the paper that it was a sell out both nights. Having lived on MDI most of my life, I was well aware of the many pros and cons. I think the Colbeth girls

who lived with me for many years, gave me a good idea what living on Swans Island was like. I liked the closeness the communities shared, the holidays that they made special and I really liked knowing that

whether they liked each other or not, they knew those people would always help out in a crisis. The play was well written and Dennis Damon told the story perfectly, as only he could

Net Loss, a Florida commercial fisherman’s saga..Written by Evelyn Wilde Mayerson with illustrations by Philip S. Steel. Published 2004 by Long Wind Publishing, LLC. Designed and edited by Jon Ward. ISBN 1

-892695-15-4.

Fishing Gone dramatizes life on Tangier Island, Va. using it to illustrate the quandary faced by watermen on all of the Chesapeake Bay. Written by Roger Vaughn and illustrated by Philip S. Steel.Published

2009 by The Argian Press. Designed and edited by Sir David Hayes. IBSN 978-0-9820821-4-0

Bogie, the Golf Bug. The tale of two cartoon characters Birdie and Scratch playing their first round of golf as told by Bogie the golf bug. Written in poetry form by Giva Frashier, and illustrated with

cartoons by Philip S. Steel. Edited and published 2013 by Archway Publishing.. IBSN 987-978-1-4808-0126-4 (sc), IBSN 978-1-4808-0125-7 (e)

Partial List of Magazine and Newspaper Articles about Philip’s Art

 * Vero Magazine, “Painting Ports Of Call” Sheila Lowenstein, Summer 2001 T.C. Palm, “Seeking Success From Net Loss”
 * J. T. Harris, April 9th, 2004 Florida Humanities Council Magazine, “Net Loss tells the Story of Florida Fishermen” Barbara O’Reilley, Summer 2004
 * Southern Living, “Painting The Fishermen” Carolyn Roberts, September 2006 Bar Harbor Times, “Steel Paints Troubled Industry” Laurie Schreiber, August 14th, 2008
 * Vero Life Magazine, “The Sea Inside” Agnes Ash, December 2008 Fort Pierce Magazine, “Made of Steel”
 * Camilles S. Yates, February 9th, 2010 Bar Harbor Times, “ Artist Captures the Power of the Ocean” Laurie Schreiber, July 22, 2010
 * Mt. Desert Islander, “On The Edge Explores Hard Scrabble Island Life” Earl Brechlin, August 29th, 201