One of the best attractions in downtown Celina are the amazing murals. Did you know that many of them were painted by a Celina resident? Meet the artist, Bristen Lee Phillips.
A native Texan, Bristen grew up in the Panhandle. His grandparents owned a ceramic studio in Turkey, Texas, where Bristen found his love for art.
Living “in the middle of nowhere”, Bristen says they were always painting as a family. In high school he would create graphic designs, paint murals for athletic teams and local businesses, or commission paintings.
After briefly playing basketball in college, Bristen lived and worked in Dallas while painting murals on the side. He then decided to finish his art degree at Texas Tech, as a third generation Red Raider. At Tech, he learned business techniques, art promotion, and how to hone his craft.
Bristen always assumed he would teach art and coach basketball. He certainly did not imagine a full-time art career when he and his wife, Sara Denmark Phillips, returned to Sara’s hometown of Celina. As the father of five, Bristen stays at home and works on his art at night while Sara focuses on her career. He began posting his work online selling the art for as little as fifty dollars hoping sales would grow.
This led to the City of Celina mural projects. Bristen was awarded the winning mural bid and researched historic Celina to create the collage for the first mural. Now his work can be found all around downtown Celina -- behind the Toasted Walnut, on Ohio Street, plus the Annie Jack Boutique store front. He is currently finishing up “the big wall” and about to start another mural also downtown.
You can commission Bristen’s artwork as well. He paints “what people want unless they let me come up with something”. He continues, “I am all about family." A lot of people say, ‘You probably don’t want to paint our family’, but that is honestly what I like to do.”
It’s the family climate of Celina that he appreciates. Bristen loves the friendliness of Celina where the “culture is thick” with traditions. When he paints the murals, he considers the values of Celina and says, “I am grateful that I can do that.”
Bristen’s kids continue the love for art constantly painting in his backyard studio in his downtown Celina home. He believes it’s his duty as a dad to help his children discover how to build a business out of doing what you love. In fact, he advises any aspiring artist to “find what you like to do and just do it.” Words Bristen lives by today.
Bristen Lee Phillips can be found on Instagram @bristen_lee_phillips and Facebook at Bristen Lee Phillips
Quote on 2nd Page- It’s the family climate of Celina that he appreciates. Bristen loves the friendliness of Celina where the “culture is thick” with traditions.
