Walter Phillip was a New York City artist who painted in the mid 1940s-1960. He was part of The Art Students League of New York in the mid 1940’s. He was discovered while waiting tables in the 58th Street Delicatessen. The director of The Artist Students League of New York, Hugh Sylvan Stix, saw his work in the deli and offered him a one man exhibition.
The show sold out and became the talk of the New York City art scene of its time. Later he started to exhibit his works around the city, and was featured in Life Magazine, March 15, 1948.
Famous for New York cityscapes, floral still life, and clown’s, he painted mainly in watercolor and mixed media.
His signature has changed over time and over paintings. He has signed as “Phillip” , “W Phillip” , “Philipp”, “Philipp” (with a W inside the loop of the P)
If you notice hanging on the wall above Walter Philipp, there are a few of his paintings. This is how he was discovered.
“Until three months ago, Walter Philipp was just a good-natured waiter who served sandwiches and quick hot drinks to the patrons of the 58th Street Delicatessen on New York City’s Third Avenue. Today he is the envy of professional artists. In his spare time Philipp painted street scenes and clowns and hung his works of art among the salami and baloney in the delicatessen. There the director of 57th Street’s Artists’ Gallery saw his pictures, gave him a one-man exhibition. On the first day every picture was sold. Artist Philipp has given up his delicatessen job to paint and he isn’t worried about the future. If his pictures stop selling, he says philosophically, he can always go back to cold cuts. – Life Magazine March 15, 1948
Collectors struggled through New York City’s worst blizzard to buy out the show on the first day, in the next two days came back to buy every painting Philipp could dredge out of his studio. – Time Magazine 1955
*Note: This information has been combined from multiple sources and may or may not be 100% correct. Any feedback on accuracies or changes needed would be appreciated.