Phillip McKay is the founder and gallerist at the Hobart Art Gallery, and artist in residence at the Hotel Grand Chancellor where he also runs a small art school.

Where did you grow up and where do you live now? I grew up on the beautiful Mersey River, in Latrobe, north west Tasmania. These days I live in the Derwent Valley and at Dodges Ferry, with most of my waking life spent at my gallery/studio in the Hotel Grand Chancellor.

Why do you prefer painting landscapes? I prefer that my art is driven by a social agenda. I started painting landscapes about 20 years ago, as a response to climate change and so many of my artworks are dark and dystopian creations, often fused with an inescapable Tasmanian landscape sensibility.

As the founder and gallerist of the Hobart Art Gallery, what qualities do you look for in an artist when deciding to feature their work? I like to give talented young artists, Palawa artists and women artists (who might not normally get to exhibit their work in a gallery) opportunities to show their work. If their work grabs my attention and is interesting and/or beautiful, I’ll hang it.

What’s one thing about being a gallerist that you wish more people knew? Being a gallerist in Tasmania is a difficult business, particularly if you are providing opportunities for emerging artists. Tasmania’s art-buying population is small and there are many great artists and galleries in Hobart to compete with. I’m lucky I can supplement my income by offering art lessons.

You’ve said that your paintings may never feel truly finished. Could you elaborate on that? My artworks are not painted from ‘real life’ or photographs where the end goal can be seen. Instead, they are driven by process and a series of decisions. I am unaware of their final destination and that’s what’s so exciting and addictive about this method of painting. My paintings are what one might call ‘inscapes’ – which are landscapes of the mind. And since the landscape of one’s mind is ever changing, as our mood, sensibilities and beliefs grow and change, it can often feel that what was right and good enough today might not be good enough tomorrow. It’s almost embarrassing to say but I’ve been working on one painting, on and off, for 20 years now and I’m still not happy with it! Can I let it go? No. A painting will paint itself in its own time and not before.

What do you enjoy about running art classes and paint’n’sips? My art classes bring myself and others much pleasure and reward. Many of the people who come along to my classes have long held core beliefs that tell themselves they can’t paint. I like to challenge those beliefs and it has been emotional for many when they realise they can! People can book classes online at www.hobartartgallery.com.

Who do you admire? I admire the many people I have worked with who have experienced trauma – for their courage and resilience.

Favourite podcast or tv show? I like to listen to Chomsky, Norman Finkelstein, Lex Fridman, Dan Carlin.

Secret vice? I suspect painting is the healthiest of my vices but it’s no secret.

What are you reading now? I’m currently reading The Socratic Method but I read very little. My attention wanders too much when I read.

Do you have any pets? I love animals and have a little licky, licky dog named Mags.

What was your first job? I was a paper boy at age 12. I was always late. Back then (1975), I made less than a dollar an hour.

What are your daily news/social media habits? I get my news through a few independent journalists I subscribe to through Substack. I use social media to share my artwork.

Your favourite place for…

Breakfast: I skip breakfast.

Lunch: Hotel Grand Chancellor makes a delicious burger.

Dinner: Indian Chilli Club in Sorell.

Dream holiday destination? I’ve just come back from Turkiye, Venice, Morocco and Spain which I loved but there’s something about Paris. Perhaps it’s all that art!

Favourite Tasmanian secret? Pig Island.

Parting words? On this beautiful and fragile island we call home, let’s stand up to protect our forests and waterways and not allow it to be plundered by short sighted governments and companies that would cut down our old growth forests and stick toxic fish farms around our beautiful coastline. We’re better than that!