“Philip’s photographs are really fantastic--they have a surreal, uncanny quality and make me think a bit of Eggleston, but in a decidedly 21st century context!”

— Emma Acker, Associate Curator of American Art, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, author of Cult of the Machine: Precisionism and American Art.

"His compelling visions stimulate the world to think!"

— F. Lanier Graham, former curator, Museum of Modern Art, New York, author of Goddesses in Art, Duchamp and Androgyny, and The Rainbow Book.

“Philip Ringler is an important contemporary artist. This is not praise I make lightly. Philip's work invites its viewer to reconsider the human condition and to discover new insights into our humor, vulnerability, best intentions, love, absurdity, and mortality. All this is done with a sense of what I call ‘Dark Whimsy,’ and an embracing care for humanity and the truth.”

— Dana Davis, artist, commercial photographer, professor emeritus Contra Costa College, former Director, Eddie Rhodes Gallery.

“Philip Ringler’s art often uses a deceptive combination of intelligent mischief blended with curiosity to comment on the Art/cultural issues of our times.”

—Greg Macgregor, Professor emeritus, California State University, East Bay, author of Deus Ex Machina, and Lewis and Clark Revisited: A Photographer's Trail.

Philip Ringler is an internationally exhibiting artist and arts educator with a  background in fine art, photojournalism, commercial photography, and curatorial work. With a Master of Fine Arts in Photography from John F. Kennedy University’s Arts and Consciousness Program and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from California State University, East Bay, he brings both academic depth and professional expertise to his teaching and art practice.

Philip’s current work in fine art photography explores conceptual themes of simulation, artifice, and the philosophy of reality within the medium. His practice integrates political and cultural critique, drawing on his studies in philosophy, art history, and art theory, as well as his experiences living and traveling internationally.

A passionate and community-focused educator, Philip has taught photography at the university level from introductory courses to advanced studies, including studio lighting, film and darkroom techniques, digital photography, and graduate portfolio development. He has led photography programs for teens at public libraries and has remained a dedicated mentor to many students throughout their artistic careers.

In addition to his academic and artistic work, Philip spent over a decade as a commercial photographer and business owner, specializing in photographing artwork and sculpture for renowned museums and artists including Stephen De Staebler and William T. Wiley. He was a primary photographer for Matter and Spirit: Stephen De Staebler, a comprehensive monograph published in 2012 by the University of California Press in collaboration with the de Young Museum.

Philip’s artwork is held in collections, galleries, and museums worldwide. Committed to continuous artistic exploration, he regularly exhibits at art fairs, museums, and private galleries, presenting new and ambitious work. He recently self-published a book titled This Exhibit is Closed., which has received international acclaim and recognition.