In the 2000's Tom Phillips created a series of vibrant oil collages from tiny fragments of used disposable paint palettes. These palettes were cut and assembled after the manner of the micro-mosaics of Italian 'pietra dura' work.
The jewel-like pieces were reassembled with great care in The Road to Alice Springs, 2012, forming an abstract sun-drenched landscape inspired by the iconic highway in the Australian Outback.