Phillip was born in to the art world. Phillip’s father Ken Payne was one of the Southwest’s most prominent bronze sculptors and founder of Mountain Trails Gallery. From a young age, Phillip took an interest in the art his father was creating, he knew he wanted to be an artist himself. At the age of 6 Phillip would draw pictures, sneak out of the house, and sell his drawings to the neighbors. When Phillip was 9 years old he and his family moved to the Navajo reservation in Chinle, Arizona, where he grew in his love of the southwest. Storytelling became his inspiration. He loves learning about history, visualizing what it was like being there, then coming up with detailed compositions in sculpture. Phillip completed his first sculpture at the young age of 15, he wanted to know each aspect of creating a bronze and even cast his first pieces himself using the Lost Wax Process. Phillip continues to grow in his creative process sculpting in a more contemporary style and drawing inspiration from figures in history such as Beethoven and Ansel Adams. Phillip believes it is important to never stop learning, to never stop searching for what history and others have to offer. “We can all learn from one another. That's why professional artists always have such amazing collections themselves. If you only look at your own art you will never get better and grow in your creativity. Art is a search for kindred spirits, when you find an artist you admire you will learn from them and are better able to connect with others. That is the real goal in making fine art.” Phillip’s favorite part of being an artist is the collectors, he loves getting to spend quality time in conversation with them when they visit him at his studio gallery Desert Mountain Fine Art / Anticus.