Jim Phillips is an iconic music and action sports illustrator, who has helped guide the imagery of popular culture for nearly 50 years with his laid back graphic style. 

Born in San Jose, Ca., Oct 24, 1944, Phillips has lived mostly in Santa Cruz, Ca. His first published artwork was in the spring issue of Surfer Quarterly, 1962, his “Woody” a winner of a surf car cartoon contest. His surf art has appeared in many surfing publications since. His earliest jobs were in various surfboard shops, making surfboards. Much of that work was applying art and design to surfboards. In 1965 and 66 he was awarded a scholarship to study fine arts at California College of Arts and Crafts, in Oakland, Ca.

In 1971 Jim began his free lance art service creating rock posters and other forms of advertising. From the mid-seventies to late eighties Jim was art director for Santa Cruz Skateboards where he created hundreds of skateboard deck, T-shirt, sticker, and ad art designs, with a record 8 million stickers sold within a two year period. During the 1990’s he became art director of Family Dog and Maritime Hall and created many posters for Bill Graham Presents, and other rock venues. Jim & Dolly Phillips are residing in Santa Cruz, Ca. 

 Exclusively licensed reproductions of Phillips’ original art are available in his Artsprojekt store here+