A rebellious graffiti artist turns to a life of art and family

Boeta Phyf is in his garage drilling and planing. Sawdust fills the air. He takes a break and looks across at his son playing with a deck of cards. The boy’s focus is intense. Magic is his latest obsession. As he lifts his hand a single card floats up from the deck below, hovering in mid-air. Phyf laughs. He has an idea for his next piece.

Neil Phyfer, to use the artist’s full name, is a 3D graffiti sculptor, designer and illustrator. The variety of shapes, colours and lines he uses to make animated or superhero characters distinguish his artwork. Phyf discovered his artistic skills as a young child, drawing his favourite cartoons. He combines his love for graffiti and woodwork to create wood sculptures. Now he collaborates with his father, a carpenter. And completing the generational loop, his son has taken an interest in art – creating his own works as well as experimenting with magic.

With Phyf’s son becoming a budding artist in front of his eyes, art has turned into a family affair. The three generations of Phyfer are a symbol of a close connection realised through colours and characters. It’s easy to see why Phyf says, “Making art is all about us as a family."