Phyl Dunn (1915-1999) was born in Melbourne. She became interested in pottery when Merric Boyd demonstrated at her school. She visited Reg Preston at Warrandyte while attending painting classes with Danila Vassilieff, and began working with him part-time as an apprentice. In 1954-55, she completed two terms of night classes with Dora Billington at the Central School of Arts, London. Back in Australia, she became Preston's assistant. The two married in 1958, the same year they both became founding members of the Potters' Cottage. She hand-decorated some of Preston's pots as well as making her own range of domestic wares and one-off pieces. She had an exhibition in the Argus Gallery in 1962, and both she and Reg began exhibiting in Craft Association shows, moving from earthenware to stoneware in 1967. In 1982 the couple set up a studio at Woolamai in Victoria, where she continued to work until 1987. Her works are signed with a painted 'Phil Dunn' or 'P.D'.