Morpho Helena by Phillip Seymour

Morpho Helena
Phillip Seymour
12.25"h x 15.25"w x 1.5"d framed
Oil on fabric
2026

This informal series is an ongoing study of animals that sit just outside our comfort zone, creatures that are often described as strange, eerie, or misunderstood, yet possess a quiet and undeniable beauty. Drawn to forms that feel slightly off-kilter or otherworldly, these works lean into the tension between attraction and unease, asking the viewer to slow down and spend time with subjects that are usually glanced past or quickly categorized.

The series treats each animal as a presence: something observed, contemplated, and momentarily elevated. Pattern, color, and portraiture are used not to soften their strangeness, but to frame it with care. In doing so, the work invites a reconsideration of what we find unsettling, and how closely that feeling is tied to curiosity, reverence, and empathy.

Get to Know The Artist:
Phill’s enthusiasm as an artist is fueled by his love for the complex aspects of urban environments.
Placing the importance of expression at the forefront of each piece, he is guided by the desire to create authentic experiences of place. He challenges the connotations of place and argues that is more than a synonym for location, offering instead that it is a unique ensemble of nature and culture.