Born in Toronto in 1951, Phil Richards studied at the Ontario College of Art, graduating with his AOCA in 1973. He has worked full-time as a visual artist for over 35 years, with numerous solo and group shows.

Richards has been involved in several commissioned projects. His large-scale murals include Canada's Capital Congress Centre (Ottawa), Credit Suisse Centre (Toronto), Odeon Cineplex (Woodbine Centre, Toronto), and the Cinedome Media Complex (Cologne, Germany) a work that included 187 celebrity portraits. Richards is also an accomplished portrait painter.

Phil Richards' work can be found in collections including: Art Gallery of Ontario; Confederation Centre Art Gallery and Museum, Charlottetown; MacLaren Art Centre, Barrie; Robert McLaughlin Art Gallery, Oshawa; Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery; Scotiabank; TD Bank; Imperial Oil; Citibank and Four Seasons Hotels.

Phil Richards currently lives and works in Toronto, Ontario.