Grant Philip became tetraplegic following a diving accident in 1989. Before his injury, he worked as an apprentice sheet metal engineer, served with the Royal New Zealand Corps of Engineers, and achieved both the Queen’s Scout Award and Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award. He later retrained in computer-aided design and spent several years designing playgrounds for McDonald’s Restaurants.

Introduced to mouth painting by fellow artist Grant Sharman, Grant was later awarded a Student Scholarship with the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists. Alongside his artistic work, he has remained deeply involved in sport and community initiatives, representing New Zealand internationally in target shooting and participating in events including the Invictus Games. His wide-ranging interests and determination continue to shape both his creative and sporting pursuits.