Philip McCracken

{{Short description|American visual artist (1928–2021)}}

Philip "Phil" McCracken (November 14, 1928 – June 6, 2021) was an American visual artist, who worked mainly in sculpture. Born in Bellingham, Washington, he graduated from the University of Washington in 1953,[http://www.museumofnwart.org/collection/nwartists_detail.html?id=25 Museum of Northwestern Art, accessed August 30, 2007. ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070814085211/http://www.museumofnwart.org/collection/nwartists_detail.html?id=25 |date=August 14, 2007 }} having interrupted his studies to serve as an army reservist for the Korean War.[http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=3835 HistoryLink, accessed August 30, 2007.] He then studied for a time under Henry Moore in England.[http://www.museumofnwart.org/collection/nwartists_detail.html?id=25 Museum of Northwest Art, accessed August 30, 2007. ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929042512/http://www.museumofnwart.org/collection/nwartists_detail.html?id=25 |date=September 29, 2007 }} He lived and made art on Guemes Island from 1955 to the end of his life in 2021.{{cite web |title=Philip Trafton McCracken 1928 - 2021 |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/goanacortes/name/philip-mccracken-obituary?pid=199512391 |publisher=Anacortes American |access-date=11 August 2021}}

His work contains much nature imagery, is generally representational, and displays a strong focus on visual form.

His work has been exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Museum of Northwest Art.[http://www.museumofnwart.org/collection/nwartists_detail.html?id=25 Museum of Northwest Art, accessed August 30, 2007.] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070814085211/http://www.museumofnwart.org/collection/nwartists_detail.html?id=25 |date=August 14, 2007 }} His art can also be seen as part of Washington's State Art Collection at My Public Art Portal.{{Cite web|title=Philip McCracken in Washington's State Art Collection|url=https://www.arts.wa.gov/artist-collection/?request=record&id=2870&type=701|access-date=28 July 2021|website=ArtsWA, Washington's State Art Collection, www.arts.wa.gov/my-public-art-portal}}