Phil Irish paintings up for auction

ELORA – Elora artist Phil Irish is donating two paintings for an auction to support the Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory, located on Georgian Bay.

The online auction, run by Show Your Love, goes live Nov. 14 to 21.

Irish says his family has a long connection to the Cape Chin area on Georgian Bay and he’s “excited to support the Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory.”

1681:Dodo + St. Stephen’s, by Phil Irish

The first piece, called 1681:Dodo + St. Stephen’s, is an intaglio print from his Vanishing Points series, which matches an animal, in this case the dodo, with a piece of architecture from its year of extinction.

“I love the look of the piece,” Irish says. “Printed with master printer Stu Oxley, there are many techniques used here – chin collé, spit biting – and the result is unusually painterly for an intaglio print.”

Of the 18 made, the framed print up for auction is number 13.

The second piece is called Flight Pattern (Blue Jay) and it is a watercolour.

“The textures and fluidity of watercolour feel direct and life-giving to me, and the use of masking continues to be part of how I dig into the puzzle of painting,” he says.

For information or to make a bid, visit show-yourlove.com.

For information about the observatory, visit bpbo.ca.