Beauty

Patti has always had a gift for art. We are delighted to welcome you to browse some of her work below.

Steve Phillips asked Patricia Richards to marry him in 1983. He asked her to help him draw a pastel picture. Then he wrote a poem asking her to marry him and put it in the picture. He is a wonderful man and has many creative abilities. This “Engagement Rose” picture is one of them. I said, “Yes.”

Many years later they went to Africa to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. After 7 years she finished this painting that she started for her father. It hung in his home for many years until he died. Now Patti has let her son and daughter-in-law keep it for her. 

These two paintings [pastel and Prismacolor pencil] were done while on a furlough in America. She was invited by a local Church group to put some pictures into a Christmas Bazaar. So, she painted “Daisies” and “Lily Pad”, put them into an inexpensive frame and sold them. Most people liked the “Daisies”, but I like the “Lily Pad.”

Somewhere along the way her love for science and nature drew her to paint, “A Drop in the Pond.” She magnified the image to see and capture the bubbles and water drops flying away from the center of the force moving the water up and away from the pond.

Some years into their mission work in Africa, Steve revised a book called Pilgrim’s Progress. Patti painted the cover picture as shown [pastel and Prismacolor pencil].

For 3 years they were in Sierra Leone. One evening while sitting on the back porch, Patti saw this beautiful scene and photographed it. Then she painted what she saw [with a small 8-piece set of pastels and Prismacolor pencils]

Yet another book Steve wrote for the Africans he was teaching about Christ Jesus was, Are We Like Christ. This was a Church history specially designed for the African Brethren. Patti designed and painted the cover in watercolor, pastel, and paper images of the clothing.

During their stay in the US, they lived for several years in Arizona. Patti had a desire to paint a picture depicting how she felt living in Arizona. This painting was a depiction of Arizona from her heart. It is pastel and Prismacolor pencil.

During their marriage, Steve and Patti, did some remodeling of three of their homes. This is one archway they made in their Arizona home. [tree trunks fake grapes and leaves, a small plastic stain glass paint design of grapes and their leaves and branches.

One day, after many years, they returned to the United States. For several years they helped their children through high school until they were able or actually on their own. During this time Patti remembered an artist named Paul Klee. She saw some of his work and wanted to try her own work in this his style [pastel and Prismacolor pencil]. Steve had written a book called, The Mystery of Suffering, and used this picture for the cover.

The last several months in Arizona, before Steve and Patti returned to Africa alone, Steve was working on the remodel in this home. And he wanted nine paintings of 3 bamboo, 3 palm branches, and 3 banana leaves. Patti began to paint these drawings. This was the first [acrylic house paint on drywall]. She gave this to her oldest son before they went back to Africa.

After that she painted this rendition of a palm branch [acrylic house paint on drywall]. This one she gave to her youngest son.

Another palm branch painting with the same medium [acrylic house paint on drywall]. This one went to her second son and daughter-in-law.

Patti now moved to the banana leaves. With the same medium [acrylic house paint on drywall] she painted them. And gave this painting to her third son.

And then last of all Patti painted a bamboo picture in the same medium [acrylic house paint on drywall]. She gave this one to her only daughter by request.

You may wonder why I gave these paintings to my children. Well, we went to Africa before I could finish the project, so I wanted to keep them in the family and for safe keeping.

Now we are back in Africa. We were visiting a man and his ministry there. While Steve was studying at night with no electricity, I saw this wonderful setting, like Rembrandt's paintings and took the picture. This also was used on one of Steve’s book covers, for the book Worker’s Unashamed.

For my sister to honor her fellowship in Christ’s sufferings. A pastel and Prismacolor pencil rendering of her home-grown tulips. I love you, Lisa.

As directed by the Holy Spirit, I did this pastel rendering for a young lady at a Bible study we attended, and it was her birthday present.