Phyllida van der Riet was born and raised in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, South Africa — formerly Port Elizabeth, known as the friendly and windy city. She grew up by the sea, swimming every day and spending time walking along the beach from the beacon at the far end of Pollok Beach to the harbour wall at the end of Kings Beach, collecting “treasures,” as she refers to her natural finds along the shoreline.

As a child, she often went on walks through the veld and nature reserves with her parents, older sister, and brother, picnicking in forested areas next to waterfalls and swinging on “monkey vines,” fully immersed in nature. Visits to museums, art galleries, and cultural sites filled her with a deep appreciation for natural history and the arts. The entire family dabbled in art in one form or another.

Phyllida attended Rhodes University, where she studied Fine Art, Languages, and Anthropology. She then continued her studies at P.E. Technikon, completing a diploma in Textile Design before moving to Cape Town, where she began her career.

She met her husband, and together with four other crew members, they delivered a yacht to the Maldives. The journey took several months and was filled with varied adventures along the way. They sailed from Cape Town via Port Elizabeth and Durban, refuelling and visiting family and friends, before stopping at the Comoros Islands, Seychelles, and finally the Maldives.

Phyllida and her husband, Louis, then left the yacht and continued their travels through the Far East. Eventually, upon returning to Johannesburg, South Africa, they decided to make their way back to Cape Town by bicycle and camping. Their route took them through the Orange Free State, the Eastern Cape, and along the Garden Route — with many adventures along the way — before finally returning home to Cape Town.

Phyllida continued to pursue various artistic endeavours while raising their two sons. She started a landscaping business and also ran a small nursery from home. Later, she returned to oil painting and has since branched out into her earlier field of textile design, incorporating her paintings into her designs.

Phyllida has been exhibiting her work for several years, and her paintings now hang in private collections internationally.