Born octobrer 8th 1910 in Calgary, Alberta. Died in may 1990, in Montreal.

Philip Surrey's career in art began when at only sixteen years old he was hired as a magazine illustrator for Western Home Monthly, in Winnipeg. Although born in Calgary, he relocated east in 1926 to study at the Winnipeg School of Art, where he was taught by Lionel L. Fitzgerald. By 1930, he had moved on to the Vancouver School of Art, where he studied under F. Varley and J. Macdonald until 1936. Later that year, Philip Surrey ventured to across the continent to New York City to attend the Art Student's League. In NYC, he worked closely under the guidance of F.V. Dumont and Alexander Abels.

Montreal was the city that finally captured Surrey's heart; it remained his home base throughout the rest of his life. In 1937, he found work as a photography editor for the Montreal Standard, the Weekend Magazine and the Montreal Star. It was also in Montreal that he first discovered the work of Bajan artist Goodridge Roberts, and the simplicity of his brush strokes. Philip Surrey often painted city and landscapes, and is most recognized for his night scenes.

He works in oil, watercolor, pastel and several other mediums, depending on the subject and composition. His work has been exhibited in several galleries internationally, and in different museums in Canada. From 1938 until 1963, his paintings were shown at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, he held a solo exhibition at the Musée de Québec in 1966 and at the Musée d'Art Contemporain de Montréal in 1971. Philip Surrey was also given the honor of being inducted into the Royal Canadian Academy.