Phillip's reputation as a painter of maori portraits started in his early 20s. At that time the last of the maori women with the traditional facial tatoo (moko) were the subject of his paintings. Subjects for paintings often come from Phillip's observations of people in everyday life.

Whilst Phillip has a reputation as a portrait and wildlife artist, he also paints a wider range of subjects including; native bush scenes, seascapes and rivers, historical buildings and things as diversse as planes and ships.

New Zealand is blessed with some of the world's most unique wildlife, much of which is under threat of extinction. By capturing images of NZ wildlife through oil paintings and pastels, Phillip is able to draw attention to the plight of  New Zealand  fauna and flora on the world stage.