Phil Schirmer

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Phil Schirmer has been painting in the demanding and ancient medium of egg tempera for over two decades.  The artist, who lives and works in Sargentville, near Deer Isle, Maine, says, “I graduated from college with a degree in English Literature and then spent ten years working cash registers, pasting up ads for newspapers, and even, for a short spell, making miniature carousels…Someone suggested I try to make a living as an artist.  I went out and bought some books and taught myself egg tempera, a medium that takes a minimum of three lifetimes to master.”  Despite this somewhat self-deprecating history, Phil has achieved outstanding recognition as an egg tempera painter.  His portrait The Secret Gardener  was selected to hang in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery as a finalist in their 2009 triennial competition.  He is known for his evocative landscapes of the Maine coast, and he is currently accepting commissions for portraits.  Website: www.philschirmer.com