Voices on Ian’s Work /
Over the years, Ian Phillips-McLaren’s work has received wide recognition from peers, curators, and critics across the fields of fine art, photography and historical processes.
Here is a selection of responses—ranging from critical press reviews and curatorial praise to heartfelt comments from leading artists and educators.
Curators & Artists
Diana H. Bloomfield
Photographic Artist & Curator
“Such a compelling image and beautiful print, Ian.”
“I love this beautiful, mysterious, and otherworldly image— and superb print.”
(On curating Ian’s gum bichromate work into “The Art of Gum Bichromate,” Los Angeles)
“Love the mood, depth, tones, and other-worldliness.”
“Thank you so much, Ian, and for sharing this beautiful, evocative image/print. Congratulations! This was my very favorite among that incredible trio of favorites!”
(On curating prints for YourDailyPhotograph.com)These comments refer to Ian’s work in Fractured Whispers and his Gum Printing Tuition page.
David Eustace
Photographer
“The work you’re doing is brilliant and original. Personally, I think your self-portraits are incredibly intelligent, aesthetically beautiful, and interesting. So keep going—it’s refreshing to see such work.”
Pierre Zeler
Photographer
“One rare master piece !”
Press
Studies in Photography (Journal)
“Fractured Whispers, by Ian Phillips-McLaren is a masterclass in how artists are turning to a slow way of working. Ian pushes this to a remarkable degree.”
The Lancashire Times
“Perhaps the most dominant image of the whole exhibition is Ian Phillips McLaren’s ‘Gwen’… the largest single piece in the exhibition.”
Read full review
Photographers & Peers
Andrew Sanderson (ilford Master Printer)
“What a huge undertaking! Impressive!”
Angela Chalmers (Artist & Author of Creative Cyanotype)
“The salt printing workshop you led recently was brilliant!”
Debajan Das Gupta
“What a piece! Anything between 48–64 impressions… speaks volumes about your dedication and meticulousness. A wonderful portrait—full of character.”
John Higginson
“This is one of those works that changes the way you see, how you feel—it reframes the world. From the reasoning to the final execution, this image is as breathtaking as it is moving.”
Ya Ya Teahouse
“This is an incredible print, Ian. I can’t even fathom how much work this must have been. And to do it all in gum is just mind-blowing.”
Sally North
“To do this in gum bichromate and have each section so similar in tone and colour is truly gobsmacking! My hat is off to you.”
If you’d like to learn more about Ian’s practice, view selected projects, or explore one-to-one mentoring and workshops:
👉 Visit the Projects Overview
👉 Explore Photography Mentoring