Philip Tonkyn MA MSIAD has been an artist, illustrator and art teacher for over forty years. His work has been widely published and exhibited with five of his photographic works selected for the Royal West Academy's Open Exhibitions 156 and 158 and the Open Photography 2 Exhibition.

Brought up in Glastonbury and having initially studied sculpture at Somerset College of Art, Philip Tonkyn later became well known as an air-brush artist and illustrator of numerous book, magazine and record covers. He now uses photography as a starting point for his art works, creating a vision of a liminal Otherworld where matter and spirit join in the marriage of landscape and light. Merging up to twenty-one photographs into large composite views, he recreates magical moments which of necessity are of great stillness, for it is only when the world ‘holds its breath’ that the component photographs can be taken. At these moments it seems that the world is transfigured in beauty and deeper being.

In the Simulacra Series, sections of photographs are reflected, creating the appearance of ‘spirit’ forms, originating both from their nature and location and from the projected psyche of the viewer. The pictures are portraits of the Earth Spirit. It is notable that symmetry is characteristic of sacred art and iconography throughout the world, and that there is indeed much magic in mirrors.

In 2007 Philip Tonkyn returned to live in Glastonbury with his wife Caroline, producing prints and cards celebrating their love for Glastonbury, the Ancient Avalon.