Phillip M. Haozous was born in December of 1941 in Lawton, OK. Almost a decade later, he and his family moved to Brigham City, UT, where during his high school years, his excellence in track and field presented him with a scholarship into Utah State University.

Phillip's first undertakings in fine art were born out of a need for authentic American Indian jewelry during his three-year partnership in the Western Theatre, Inc., in Cripple Creek, CO, where he created belts and various other ornaments for his costumes. In 1973, Phillip enrolled in the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, NM, to begin study under the direction of then-professor, Skip Holbrook. While there, Phillip was selected most outstanding jewelry student of his class, which encouraged him to further refine his talent as a silversmith. Phillip's artistic talents also led him to flute-making, and eventually to sculpting. During the span of his professional artistic career, he has received a quantity of important awards, including several first place ribbons at the Santa Fe Indian Market, the Eight Northern Indian Pueblo Artists and Craftsmen Show and the Otero Award for Creative Excellence.

Over the years Phillip's work has evolved into a highly personalized and expressive style with much emphasis on social interactions and human relationships. Many of the pieces reflect the intricacies, complexity and tensions of relating, physically, emotionally, spiritually, culturally and intellectually, as well as through spatial and aesthetic considerations. The work is compelling and personal, yet welcomes the viewer with its calm and universal familiarity. Its full spectrum of design application, aesthetic refinement and human emotion is revealed in every angle and curve, every twist and fold, every expression of love and beauty.

"Allan was very patient with me and was always there to offer words of encouragement when I was having difficulty with a particular stone". Those words of encouragement and advice are invaluable and continue to inspire Phillip to challenge himself artistically. Constantly working toward the new, yet honoring the traditions of Native culture, heritage and creativity, Phillip's sculpture is always original and speaks from both personal experience and universal insight.