2022 Recap
If you're reading this, do as Philip would do, and join us in toasting to the new year with some good old Fireball! We can't believe 2023 is here already and so much has happened in the last twelve months to reflect on, learn from and of course, celebrate!
If you've missed out on any recent happenings, don't worry, here's a full recap of the year so you can stay in the know and keep up with Philip Bennett Walker & team.
Philip and his wife Elizabeth started off last new year with family and friends in their second home of Aspen, Colorado. As always, they turn the road trip out west and back into an adventure and also ended up hitting Las Vegas with more friends, and exploring the Southwest doing some research and development.
Of course, Philip gained some inspiration from the scenery, which you can see, shows through in some of his pieces from throughout the year. And, yes, the Fear and Loathing piece was definitely influenced by their Vegas leg of the trip😝. Always inspired by her surroundings and in search of new product, Elizabeth found some amazing gems which evolved into a new collection, too.
Upon returning from their annual trip, it was back to business as usual, except for one tiny thing: The Walkers newest little addition, Mr. Beau the pug. He has since filled all our hearts and has brought so much joy, love and slight chaos for Elizabeth and Philip.
The business & team was also growing in other ways and this time it was our Jax Beach Gallery. The Walkers made the decision to expand the studio and administration office, making more room for new inventory and behind the scenes details, like photography plus shipping and receiving.
As the shop grew, we certainly took advantage of every opportunity that came our way to crush the goals we set for the year.
Philip was offered an amazing opportunity with the Clay Country Fair in the springtime. It was his job as project coordinator to hand select artists based on their individual talent, and pair them up with charities involved with the fair to create a brand new exhibit. This effort yielded an incredible turnout and he is looking forward to next years project!
Then in May, the Walkers were offered an exclusive partnership with The Space, a wellness spa and studio in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, to display and sell both a line of artwork and jewelry.
Another road trip under their belt combined with the honor of having representation in Elizabeth's hometown region, we felt like anything was possible, and things were looking good for the rest of the year. With more pop ups scheduled than ever, commissions keeping both Philip and Elizabeth busy, and a new gallery, we were firing on all cylinders!
The Walkers are looking forward to extending their brand and creating new memories and partnerships there, and can't wait to see what the future holds!
It's these partnerships and collaborations that make our relationships so unique, especially in our area of Northeast Florida. We are truly grateful for those who want to work with the team and undertake new creative projects.
Recently, good friends Julie and Chris Childers opened Curations, a furniture staging & design company, which features Philips artwork in their showrooms. In turn, they have also outfitted the new gallery with furniture and decor. We are so thrilled with this alliance and love our Curations fam!
As many of you already know, we weren't in our Jax Beach Gallery for a full year before moving to a larger space in Atlantic Beach. The new storefront is just around the corner from the Walkers home and original studio, and couldn't be in a better location in the quickly growing arts district.
The renovation of the new space took about a month before we were ready for our grand opening on Saturday October 1st, but not without Florida being dramatic and throwing a hurricane our way first.
Thankfully we didn't fare as bad as many of our beloved friends and family around the state, but jumped in to help with flood damage and furniture donations for those who were in need.
It goes without saying that we are a small but mighty team, and we love the new faces we have recently added! Our new gallery associates, Lea and Miso, are incredibly quick learners and fit in great with the team. Lea is our social media expert, while Miso is a Canva queen! We can't forget about our man behind the scenes though, and want to give Tony with LRG Frames a shout out for his amazing work on all of Philips framed work.
The year wrapped up with spending Thanksgiving with loved ones, a successful Black Friday Weekend campaign. Into December and in between finishing up holiday commissions, Philip completed his largest mural to date, and was part of a huge holiday art event!
Without a doubt, Elizabeth and Philip are a team through and through. When she's not making jewelry or focusing on other aspects of her line, she is 150% there for Philip, helping with murals, art transportation and being the dance coordinator for Reels and Tik Tok videos. The new mural, commissioned by friends Brittany and Jesse Culbreth for their office is in downtown Jacksonville just across from the Jaguars stadium. While it took about two weeks to complete, it truly was a great project and has also lined up new opportunities for Philip in 2023.
In the middle of the mural job, we had to put on the brakes and switch gears. Philip had the honor of exhibiting his work at the Dali Museum in St. Pete, FL as part of a show called the Dali Dozen, which was in celebration of the vibrant Tampa Bay art scene. Philip and Elizabeth (and Mr. Beau of course) loaded up Philip's works and were greeted by tons of friends and family members who traveled the state for his most notable show yet!
Along with pretty much everyone else, we love a fresh start to the new year, and what better way than to begin with new art for you to fall in love with.
Stay tuned for more original artwork, murals and innovative collaborations and tell us what you're most looking forward to in 2023!
