BIOGRAPHY

Phil Wharton was born in Papua New Guinea and raised there on a small island until the age of seven, when his family moved to Redcliffe, Queensland, Australia.

As a child, Phil spent countless hours quietly observing nature, taking photographs and sketches and observing the subtleties of animal and insect behaviour.

With an art teacher as a father, Phil developed high level skills at a very early age. At 15, he became the youngest person admitted to the Queensland Wildlife Artists’ Society and showed works at a number of their exhibitions.

As his career progressed, Phil began painting for Living Planet Magazine and similar publications before moving to gain a deeper insight through studying a Diploma of Community and Natural Resources Management.

In 2007, Phil accepted an internship with the entomology department of the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History where he produced digital scientific illustrations for museum journals. Phil is now a member of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators - Washinton DC Chapter.

Not all of his work is precise and scientific in nature. Phil's repertoire expands to contemporary painting, where he explores the character of his subjects with sensitivity and rare insight.

He is a passionate naturalist and believes strongly in conservation. Many of his works have been produced on commission for publications, private collectors and scientists.