After studying fine art printmaking in Brighton, Phil Strugnell spent a decade focussed on black-and-white film photography. He moved from Bristol to Cornwall in 2011 to take up the post of Head of Art at Newquay Tretherras School. His home and studio on the outskirts of Newquay is ideally situated to encourage his love of surfing, surrounded by the majesty and power of the sea.

An abstract painting course at Falmouth University re-ignited his love of painting, encouraging him to develop an art practice exploring colour, shape, pattern and texture. His pieces evolve organically and are imbued with his love of music, and of the ocean.

In 2024 he had the opportunity to create a mural for SeaSpace, a new community-focussed hotel in Newquay. The finished piece is bold, dynamic and deeply connected to the developing street art and creative scene in the town. During his artist's residency at SeaSpace, he held his largest solo exhibition there, as part of the Be Newquay Arts Festival. As part of the event, he produced a large wooden sculpture made from timber salvaged during the hotel's construction, and painted with leftover mural paint, reflecting his love for reclaimed materials. A lot of his wooden reliefs are made from materials pulled from skips or construction sites.

He has begun to experiment with monochromatic palettes and creating guerilla sculptures - quick, rough pieces which he leaves in unexpected places along coastal paths as art inspiration for walkers and the people who live there. During his residency, he ran workshops where local people expressed their creativity by creating abstract collages, which were displayed on exhibition. For many of them, this was the first time their work had been displayed publicly.

Strugnell has become a champion of creativity within the local community.