Aidan McArdle Voice 20 x 80 cm Acrylic on canvas

SYNESTHESIA

Being Synesthetic means that Philippa can see sound in shape and colour where others can only hear it, allowing her to create unique portraits of people’s voices.

In her own words:
“Synesthesia is a merging of the senses. I merge vision and sound, mostly, for my paintings, but arrays of textured, colourful shapes also accompany every taste, smell and tactile feeling I experience. They don’t intrude on my day to day sight; only enhance my inner abstract vision. I can choose to visit these forms deeply or just have them peppering my inner mind.”

Philippa believes we are all born synesthetic but lose the capacity to acknowledge or appreciate it as we become adults. Being synesthetic has helped her retain a passion for the world in all aspects of her life. Her voice portraits draw directly on her synesthesia and offer a vivid, emotional and personal impression of her combined audio-visual response, particularly with the spoken word. They are compelling, colourful and exciting, offering a unique insight into a synesthetic perception.