Editing Bert Geer Phillips (section)

==Artistic career==
[[File:Blumenschein and Philips Broken Wagon.jpg|thumb|right|The accident that started the Taos art colony, 1898.]]
Phillips returned to New York in 1896, where together with [[Ernest Blumenschein]] he leased a studio. In the Spring of 1898, Phillips accompanied Blumenschein on a journey to the [[American West]]. Their first stop was [[Denver]], [[Colorado]], where they bought art and camping supplies, a wagon, horses, and a revolver. Thus equipped, they set out with the intention of reaching [[Mexico]].<ref name=Peters/>

In northern [[New Mexico]], one of their [[covered wagon|wagon wheels]] broke due to the roughness of the terrain. Blumenschein rode out on horseback to nearby [[Taos, New Mexico]] to have the wheel repaired, while Phillips waited with the wagon. After Blumenschein returned with the repaired wheel three days later, they continued on to Taos, where they sold their horse and equipage, set up a studio, and began to paint.<ref name=Peters/>

Phillips decided to stay in Taos when Blumenschein returned to New York a few months later. He and a friend caused a skirmish during a religious ceremony on [[Taos Plaza]] when they refused to remove their hats; during the skirmish the [[Sheriffs in the United States|sheriff]] was killed. The incident increased tensions between the town's Hispanic and Anglo residents.<ref name=Peters/> Phillips wrote in a letter to Blumenschein, "I began to feel as if this was the real 'border life', and only wish old [[Kit Carson]] was here with us."<ref>Phillips quoted in Schimmel (1994), p. 65.</ref>

Phillips married Rose Martin, the sister of the famous local doctor [[Thomas "Doc" Martin]],<ref name="Taos Unlimited"/> in 1899. He conceived the idea of starting an [[art colony]] in Taos, which he discussed in correspondence with Blumenschein. In 1915, his dream became reality with the formation of the [[Taos Society of Artists]], of which Phillips was a founding member together with his friends [[Ernest Blumenschein]], [[Joseph Henry Sharp]], and three other artists.<ref name=Peters/> The Society was founded in the dining room of Phillips' in-laws, Doc and Helen Martin, who was herself a batik artist.<ref name="Taos Unlimited"/> In addition to being instrumental in the formation of the Society, Phillips also spent more years in Taos than any other member.<ref name=Peters/>