About Phoenix

Tony Gillott grew up in East Belfast during an era when being an artist was, ‘no way to earn a living’.

So throughout many years of working in building trades and service industries Tony sustained his passion for art by incorporating individual design into his work whilst sketching and painting in his spare time.

Years spent in and around construction sites also fuelled Tony’s talent for salvaging and upcycling old, discarded materials – transforming them into functional design pieces.

In the late 90’s, Tony and Maggie began producing small pieces of artwork, hand painted inlaid ceramics and hand painted wooden cabinets for sale locally. At the same time they were raising their young family and running a small breakfast bar – The Tea Stand – at St. George’s Market in Belfast. Over the next 10 years the success of The Tea Stand resulted in the art business being side tracked and put on hold.

For the past 2 years now Tony and Maggie have been working towards re-establishing their art and design business. Phoenix Art and Design is the result.