HIGH POINT— The last day of High Point Market can be a quiet one for many companies exhibiting at market, but the activity in the Phillips Collection showroom is an exception.
Continuing an initiative that is more than 10 years old, the Phillips Collection leadership team once again welcomed differently-abled artists to the showroom as market wound down to see their one-of-a-kind art pieces on display.
Following several months of coordination between the Phillips team, the artists and their family, friends and educational supporters, the big reveal showcased the art as a collection for the first time, and as the artists enjoyed lunch, press interviews and a showroom walkabout, the inherent excitement rivaled that of any market event. From the veteran artists who’ve been part of the event since day one to the more recent additions to the participants’ list, the artists visiting the Phillips showroom were eager to share their work and thrilled to learn that once again, every piece had sold to buyers.
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“This collaboration with Artists with Abilities continues to evolve in a meaningful way,” said Jason Phillips, CEO. “These partnerships are incredibly important — not just from a values standpoint, but from a creative one. The work that comes out of these relationships often challenges traditional ideas of form, balance, and process in a way that feels fresh and uninhibited.”
For the collaboration, Phillips Collection provides unpainted décor molds to the participants, a group of multiage artists affiliated with various special needs educational and community organizations. The artists then paint the molds with their own unique interpretations of each form, and the finished works are offered for sale to a loyal and growing group of buyers.
For several years, the entire collections have sold out, and many of the artists have developed their own following.
“When the artists arrive and see that their work has sold, they are thrilled,” said Gina Miller, an educator who has worked with many of the artists since the program’s inception. “It makes people happy; it makes the artists happy. It’s a win for everyone.”
This year’s artists included Corey Williams and Adam Lefevre, two local adult artists who participate each market and who started with the program in its earliest years. Rebecca Dresser is Williams’ mother.
“For Corey, this is a chance for her to express feelings and what she thinks about,” said Dresser. “She also gets to spend time with her friends that she loves dearly. It is important for her to know that someone else appreciates her work and it is wonderful to see how much she has progressed in her art.”
Scout Garner has participated for five years, said his mother, Tiffany Garner.
“This is a great opportunity for exposure for Scout, and it can counter narrow ideas some people might have,” she said. “This brings awareness to people in a way that is fun and creative. And Scout loves to come in and talk to everyone.”
Phillips believes the unique collaboration complements the offerings in the showroom while also developing community bonds as well as building a national, and international, fan base of sorts for the artists’ work.
“There’s an honesty to it. A clarity. The pieces aren’t overthought or overdesigned; they’re intuitive, expressive and deeply personal,” said Phillips. “That perspective brings something into our collection that can’t be replicated through conventional development.
“We’re also starting to see a real groundswell of support around this community. Through new partnerships with HPXD and Cohab.Space, we’re expanding both visibility and opportunity for these artists.
“We’re especially excited to be featuring exceptional talent across North Carolina, with plans to grow this initiative into other states and eventually internationally. There’s already strong interest from collectors around the world, eager to see what these artists create next, which speaks to the universal resonance of the work.”
