Phil Savage returns to Sculpture Saint John in 2022 after his first participation in 2018 when he created the piece titled “Pod” for Rainbow Park in Saint John. Phil began with Sculpture Saint John as an intern in 2016.
Phil’s predominant medium is wood, but he has a fascination with working with stone. He has been practicing his craft for a decade, and has participated in nearly 20 exhibits throughout New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Ontario.
“Public sculpture, I believe, is immensely important for the community, especially when it is accessible and designed to pique interest in the casual observer. In my sculptural style I attempt to spark curiosity and to invite interaction with the piece whether it is a small hand-held creature or a three-ton public piece”.
– Phil Savage
2022 Symposium
“For the this sculpture I wanted to display a strong element of playfulness and interaction. Portal has a rough exterior; as if fresh from the quarry, but a smooth, organic interior so that visitors my feel invited to sit inside the sculpture and view the city around them. From with-in it is a different sculpture than the one viewed from afar. I sought to give the interior an organic, living feeling. I hope it offers a space of peace and contemplation while one is nestled in the ancient and powerful block of stone. It is also interesting that the interior dampens the ambient sounds of the city. A brave explorer may even pass directly through the sculpture and enter another realm.”
– Phil Savage on his 2022 sculpture – “Portal”
