
Edinburgh’s Torrance Gallery is currently hosting an exhibition of art by Deborah Phillips, alongside that of her father, the late Douglas Phillips, best know for his work for DC Thomson’s The People’s Friend, but who also created illustrations for comics such as The Rover.
Deborah is a popular and busy artist, a long-time regular exhibitor at The Torrance, and the Gallery is thrilled to have her as a Featured Artist.
Showing alongside Deborah is work by James Potter, and her curated selection of works by her late father, the Scottish legend, Douglas Phillips. Deborah has selected a beautiful range of originals, rarely seen, for exhibition, providing a rare chance to view, and buy, this important Scottish artists’ work. (You can also view Douglas’ work in the exhibition here on Deborah Phillips’ official website).
The Scottish newspaper, The Courier, has highlighted the exhibition, noting Douglas Phillips is a name synonymous with the rich artistic heritage of Dundee, celebrated for his atmospheric depictions of the Mearns in both oil and watercolour.





His career spanned decades, and he’s particularly noted for his contributions to children’s literature in the 1960s and 70s, and his iconic covers for The People’s Friend under the pseudonym J. Campbell Kerr, used by the magazine for many of its subsequent cover artists.
Deborah’ husband, Mark, is a graphic designer at The Beano, further cementing their household as a hub of creative talent.
“We’re a bit of an arty family,” Deborah told the paper, reflecting on the shared passion for art that permeates their lives.
The exhibition at The Torrance Gallery in Edinburgh runs until 8th bSeptember 2024.
When The Torrance Gallery was founded in 1970, it was the only art gallery dealing in contemporary art in Dundas Street, Edinburgh, Scotland. Now The Torrance Gallery has been joined on this fine New Town street by the majority of the independent galleries in Edinburgh.
• Festival Exhibition with Featured Artists James Potter, with Deborah Phillips alongside her curated selection of works by her late father, Douglas Phillips | Dundas Street, Edinburgh, Scotland| Web: torrancegallery.co.uk
• View Douglas’ work in the exhibition here on Deborah Phillips’ official website
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
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