Phiri learned to sculpt and mix different coloured clays by decorating the wall plastering of the huts where she lived and grew up. Phiri channels and repurposes these skills in her artwork today, choosing to work instead on canvas and with acrylic mediums. Her artwork focuses on life through positivity. Through her work she seeks to engage the viewer with stimulating colours and a whimsical joy that draws from the beauty of everyday life.