When the new SeaSpace apart-hotel needed a mural that felt truly rooted in place, we knew who to call. Newquay-based artist Phil Strugnell has long been part of the creative lifeblood of Cornwall’s north coast—his work playful, thoughtful, and full of character. SeaSpace is all about creating something that belongs to locals as much as visitors, and Phil’s work—steeped in memory, craft, and local colour—was a perfect match.

In this edition of Stop & Chat, we caught up with Phil to talk early influences, process, and how DIY culture shaped the artist he is today.

As a kid growing up, my mum and dad owned a hairdressing business, and my nan and grandad lived in the flat above their shop. On Saturdays, my brother and I would hang out with nan and grandad in the flat. We would eat bowls of porridge with loads of milk and brown sugar from trays on our laps, and watch the wrestling on TV, and draw. My nan and great aunt were both artists, not in the fine-art-university sense but the old-school chocolate box /autumnal cottage scene and painting-lampshades sense. My Nan had painted her bedroom walls and hallway with tropical birds of paradise with long flowing tails which I loved and found amazing. I distinctly remember sitting with my brother drawing lots of imaginary houses with winding pathways and fences. Art was all around me from an early age.

As I grew up it became apparent that Art was the thing I could do, it was my thing. I was not academic, so as I went through school I gravitated toward the Art Department and other arty folks. I had some really inspiring art teachers throughout school and college, especially on my Foundation course at Shelley Park in Boscombe, Bournemouth. Shelley Park was a true reflection of the Bauhaus intentions where Art, Design and Craft are all taught under one building and it was a beautiful old building too. It was a manor house, once the home of the poet Shelley, and had been converted into an art college.

Life drawing in the cold attic, printmaking in the basement, learning about colour theory, welding, melting glass, photography and the principles of graphic design. Probably the most significant year of art education I ever had.

But I have to say that it was just as much the friends that I made there. The year I left, I moved to Brighton to study fine art printmaking, and these friends have continued to be an influence and inspiration to me more than 30 years on. I have a talented bunch of mates who have gone on to be successful Sculptors, Graphic Designers, Photographers, Filmmakers, Musicians, Promoters, Furniture designers, etc. 

In Brighton in the early 90’s I learnt about Printmaking, Post modernism, Jazz and the free party scene. DIY culture (make the culture you want to see) - it was such a vibrant community of people just making things happen and I think that mindset has stayed with me all my life. I DJ, put on events, and love to put on my own pop up exhibitions.

In terms of artist inspiration and influences in my life, there are numerous, varied and constant. I follow a vast range of incredibly inspirational artists on Instagram. I often talk to my students about living with the spirits of artist past and present and how they can occupy a mind-space. Going to exhibitions is really important to me too, I think the one that had the most impact in recent year was 'Action, Gesture Paint' Women artists/global abstraction at The Whitechapel: 150 paintings by 80 women artists from 1940-70. Most of these artists I had never heard of, and I walked around that place mesmerised for hours. There is so much art out there to be discovered, it is truly awesome. However, if I was to name a few that had the most impact in my formative years I would say, Matisse was a first love, Ben Nicholson, Richard Diebenkorn, El Lizitsky & Kazimir Malevcih , David Carson, Bryan Wynter. They are some of the heavy weights that I keep going back to.

Following the mural commission I've been considering how art can be seen, shared, consumed or accessed by the wider public. This thinking has taken me in two directions. One big one small.

Big ideas: At my recent exhibition as part of my residency at SeaSpace I was having a chat with a guy whose son I teach, and it turned out that he works at Newquay airport. He suggested that my imagery could translate well as the livery on the side of a plane. That would be amazing and pretty mad, seeing a plane go by with your artwork on!

In recent years I have spent a few holidays in Lanzarote and have come to love the artist and architect Cesar Manrique, the island is littered with his public sculpture, I especially love his kinetic sculptures on roundabouts, I would love to make some public sculpture, that would be a great project. Another is something like Matisse’s Chapel in Vence, if you are not familiar with this, it is a thing of meditative beauty. It is a chapel full of his stain glass window designs, the walls are adorned with his simplistic drawings and even the clergy robes were designed by him, it’s magical. So, I guess any opportunity that can bring the joy of colour and shape into the world.

Small ideas: I am a big fan of Keith Haring, obviously I love his work, but it’s actually his ethos and ideas that inspire me more. He hated the idea of 'high art' and 'low art'. He believed art is for everybody. In 1986 he created his 'Pop Shop', probably the first artist merch shop, where people could come and buy a t-shirt, a hat, a pin badge or even a post card and have a piece of his art work. He was very much about making his work available to a wider public. This resonates with me. I try and make work at a range of price points for this very reason.  I’d love to start creating some designs for textiles, fabric, scarves, clothing even t-shirts. So, a small idea, but in reality, and idea that could become big in a different way. Small pieces but shared by many.

philstrugnellart.com
instagram.com/phil_strugnell_art