Phil has worked in the glass industry since 1967, beginning as an employee at R E Tingey Glass and Glazing in Invercargill and progressing to glass artistry in 1979. “I taught myself how to shape and bend glass.”

Phil has an extensive history of working on building restorations – in the early days he made glasswork for a variety of uses including stairwells, church windows, barometers, clock faces and grandfather clocks. He gained experience by studying architecture and design with German designers such as Johannes Schrieter, Jocham Pogensen and Joachim Klos. As well as tutoring at Polytechnics, Phil has exhibited in many solo and group shows. His works are in many private and public collections both local and international, and his commissioned works can be seen in buildings throughout New Zealand. In 2003, he was commissioned to make two pieces of identical artwork for the Invercargill and Kumagaya City Councils as part of the sister city relationship. The artwork was a glass ring named Pacific Rim. When couples got married at the Kumagaya City Council they had their photos taken beside the ring or looking through it. In 2018 Phil was made Member of the NZ Order of Merit.