Born in 1949, Paul Phillips was privileged to have been a freewheeling art student of the 1960s. He graduated from Stourbridge College of Art in 1970 with BA hons (equiv) in Fine Art, and an enduring love of places wilder than his native Welsh Borderlands. A teaching career-path then opened up, but along with his wife Sally, Paul took the open road and headed north and lost himself in the Highlands and islands instead.

After working with helicopters, cows, stags, salmon and
aristocracy in the far northwest, he became self-employed, producing art for half of the year and during the other half, working offshore, in a small boat in search of lobsters. 

After a spell as full-time artist producing works for is gallery near Ullapool, Paul retrained and worked as staff nurse in a small hospital. 

He completed all the Munros, and went biking in search of wild places. Retirement was celebrated by pedalling alone the full length of Europe, described in his self-published book.

Paul and Sally now live in Aviemore, within easy reach of the high Cairngorm peaks.