Philip had a deep well of strength and courage which spilled over on to those around him. This inner strength came from his spiritual beliefs and developed over the years as a result of his constant searching for greater truths.

Physically large and handsome, he presented himself to the world as a dignified but charming family man. Underneath his calm exterior, however, was a person of great sensitivity, who sought to find his true inner self, and to come to terms with it. His own vital energy and his desire for form and restraint were constantly at conflict, but using his skills as a craftsman, these issues were resolved and transformed into symbolic models and form.

He would thus use the fire of the energy within himself to soften the limitations and restrictions of the rigid metal, to physically manifest and shape his more evolved understandings. The notes he made for his sculpture Lead Kindly Light illustrate this:

"If any of my pieces of work were meant as a meditation piece, this one certainly ranks high. It can be associated immediately with Christ carrying The Cross to Golgotha. My figure is humble to represent Christ. It is forged from steel symbolically to show that the more 'hammering' we have in life the more lessons we learn, and the more resilient we become to life's knocks and blows.

The Cross represents the problems we have in life, those that we are aware of, and those that we are not. Yet still the cross has to be carried; it is individually ours. It belongs to no one else. With the correct grip and right attitude of mind it can be an easy and a light burden to carry.

The light is there, with us. It guides us. It can be a light from without - external, but it is also from within - giving us enlightenment. It gives just enough illumination for the next step. Only in Eternity, will the Cross and Light merge into one".