Artist and surfer Phil Strugnell shares how Cornwall’s wild coast fuels his creativity and shapes his art.
Storms and the wind wake me up at night. I’ll sit there with earplugs in, but the Atlantic is so loud, you can still hear it roaring – it’s just 200 yards away. On still nights, I open the door and listen to the sea. I know when it’s offshore just by stepping outside my front door. It’s magical – it still feels like I’m on holiday.
Living by the coast wasn’t something I’d always planned but now, 14 years in, I can’t imagine life any other way. I used to live in Bristol, but one night, after a trip to Spain, my wife Nik and I were scrolling job boards and dreaming of sunnier climes. Portugal had been the original plan but I spotted a teaching job in Newquay, applied on a whim, and a week later I was hired as Head of Art at a local secondary school.
We packed up our house in Bristol and moved to Cornwall. Newquay wasn’t completely unfamiliar, as we had been coming to Cornwall for years to visit friends and surf. But living here – being immersed in its wild, rugged beauty every day – is something entirely different. My house is right on the edge of Newquay, and at the end of the road there’s a hidden surf beach you can only access by a steep set of steps. I can walk out of my door and be in the waves within minutes.
All ABOUT THE WAVES
Surfing is a huge part of my life. I came to it later than most – in my thirties – but now I’m in the sea every week, all year round, whatever the weather. Surfing keeps me fit, clears my head, and connects me to something bigger.
When I’m in the water, I have to be totally present. There’s no room to think about work or the pressures of life – it’s all about the waves and the moment. It’s humbling, too. Just when you think you’re getting good, the ocean will remind you who’s in charge.
There’s a flow to surfing that feels a lot like making art. Both require balance and intuition – you’re constantly adjusting, feeling your way through, and reacting to what’s in front of you. For me, it feels like the sea is always in the background, influencing my life in some subtle way. The slower pace of life here gives me room to think and let ideas breathe.
Art has been a constant in my life. I wasn’t particularly academic at school, but the art room was my sanctuary. I went on to study fine art printmaking in Brighton and then spent about a decade focused on black-and-white film photography. But, seven years ago, a week-long abstract painting course at Falmouth University changed everything. It reignited my love of painting, and I haven’t stopped since.
I work out of a small studio attached to my house. It’s where I lose myself in the process of painting, collaging and creating. My work is abstract, layered, and heavily influenced by mid-century artists like Ben Nicholson, as well as Russian Constructivists such as El Lissitzky. I love the play of shapes, balance, and textures. I start with an idea, but the pieces evolve organically. For me, it’s all about discovery – letting the work take me somewhere unexpected.
ART AND COMMUNITY
Last year, I had the chance to create a mural for SeaSpace, Newquay’s new community-focused hotel. It was one of the most exciting projects I’ve worked on. The brief was wonderfully open – ‘do what you do’ – but working with A-Side design studio pushed me to explore bold shapes and colours I might not have chosen otherwise.
The process was incredibly collaborative, with lots of back-and-forth to refine the final design. The finished piece is bold, dynamic, and deeply connected to the developing street art and creative scene in Newquay.
Recently, as part of the Be Newquay Arts Festival, I held my largest solo exhibition to date as part of my artist’s residency at SeaSpace. Seeing 27 of my pieces displayed together was surreal and deeply rewarding.
Forming part of this event, I produced a large wooden sculpture made from timber salvaged during the hotel’s construction and painted with leftover mural paint. It was a sustainable nod to the building’s story and a reflection of my love for reclaimed materials.
A lot of my wooden reliefs are made from materials pulled from skips or construction sites. I love the challenge of taking discarded things and turning them into something meaningful. Recently, I’ve started experimenting with monochromatic palettes and creating guerrilla sculptures – quick, rough pieces that I’d love to leave in unexpected places along coastal paths as art inspiration for walkers and the people who live here.
Community is hugely important to me. During my residency at SeaSpace, I ran workshops where locals created abstract collages. The joy on people’s faces as they rediscovered their creativity was incredible. We turned their work into an exhibition and for many, it was their first time seeing their art displayed publicly. Moments like that remind me why I love what I do.
Living by the sea has given me so much – not just as an artist, but also as a person.
The Atlantic is always there, reminding me to stay grounded, to keep evolving, and to embrace the wildness of life. Whether I’m in my studio, in the waves, or walking the cliffs with my family, I’m constantly inspired by the beauty and energy of this place I call home.’
Find out more about Phil’s work at philstrugnellart.com.
You can also learn more about the spectacular mural he painted for SeaSpace at sea.space/stories/coastal-mural.
Surf photography Sam Hart
Art and portraits Adj Brown
