Originally from New England, Phil grew up in California where he began his first painting experience with oils after being inspired by the words of other painters. He then continued to study and develop painting techniques until the opportunity to move his family to Alaska brought about more artistic challenges. From an artist’s perspective, he acquired a deep appreciation for the wilderness and scenic wonders of that rugged landscape. while in Alaska he studied watercolor painting and continued to work both in oils and watercolors before moving back to the New England of his youth.
Primarily self-taught, he works both in studio an outdoors en plein aire where he draws on his inspiration from the effects of light and shadow on the natural landscape. When painting oils his works are developed using a combination of brush and painting knife techniques. For watercolors he employs various methods including wet-on-wet, color mixing on the painting surface and drybrush. His paintings of New England reflect the unique qualities of that landscape and its classic architecture. Having lived and traveled in the west has been the source of inspiration for his western landscapes. His oils and watercolors have been included in both national and regional exhibitions and hang in many private collections.