Biography

Dike's achieved success as an artist early on, and was involved with the California Water Color Society, which included Millard Sheets, Lee Blair, Hardie Gramatky, Ralph Hulett, Emil Kosa, Phil Paradise, Milford Zornes, Paul Sample, and Barse Miller. The members of the society captured California light and color. Transparent watercolor paint was their favored medium. Between 1927 and 1955, Phil Dike exhibited his works more than any other California Water Color Society member. His work won many awards.At this time, California gave birth to another art form: full color animated cartoons. One company managed to corner exclusive rights to having animated color film developed, and that company was lead by Walt Disney. Disney gained fame and with it, huge expectations to produce top quality films. He hired top artists from across the country such as recent Chicago Art Institute graduate Joshua Meador. In 1935, Disney also hired Phil Dike to teach advanced drawing and composition to his artists. Dike did work on some Disney films including Snow White and Fantasia. He said of artists working for Disney, "One of the greatest things Disney has to offer an artist is the discipline of having to sell his stuff by making definite and difficult statements, in simple and uncomplicated language, pictorially speaking. "His work is in many museums, most notably, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. -http://www.bodegabayheritagegallery.com/Dike_Phil_.htm

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