Phil Whatmore
ARTIST
SKYDIVER
CRIPPLE
SAINT
|
|
|
Phil's Timeline
Phil’s interest in art commenced as a child. He loved his art. He had talent and he supplemented his talent for painting with study and learning. He kept painting all of his life.
Phil started skydiving in 1967, when he was 22 years old. He had talent as a skydiver and he supplemented these abilities by travelling overseas to compete in international skydiving championships. He was on his way to achieving his ambitions to be a
world champion.
Phil had a major parachuting accident in 1976. He suffered severe injuries. He was permanently crippled. His reaction to his new reality was despair, anger and frustration.
Phil was ‘born again’ in the early 1990s. Phil found God and his son, Jesus. Phil changed. Reality remained but despair and frustration were replaced with love and appreciation, and instead of anger, he felt gifted with a deep commitment to Jesus. Through all this time, Phil never complained. He never stopped painting. He never stopped skydiving. And he practised what he preached.
Phil Whatmore was born on the 21.7.1945 and died on the 27.5.2012. Phil's life was ordinary in many ways but in other ways, quite extraordinary. Phil was interested in drawing and painting from his teenage years. While not famous or successful in traditional terms, Phil Whatmore, the artist, has left a legacy of beauty and complexity that fills the heart with joy.
Phil’s interest in art commenced at an early age. He loved art. He had talent and he supplemented his gift with study and he kept painting all his life.
Phil started skydiving in 1967, when he was 22 years old. He had considerable talent as a skydiver and he developed his skills by travelling overseas to compete in international skydiving championships, where he achieved elite levels of success.
Phil was on his way to achieving his ambition to be world champion when he had a major parachuting accident in 1976 that left him crippled and battling despair.
In the early 1990s, Phil was "born again" - his belief in God really changed him spiritually. He came to terms with his physical situation. Despair and fustration were replaced with love and appreciation. Instead of anger, he felt gifted with deep commitment to Jesus.
