Working in a variety of media including acrylic, watercolour, oil and gouache, Stephen’s skills of observation and clever use of light enable him to capture birds not only in detailed portraits, but also within the wider landscape, vividly recreating the atmosphere of their natural habitats.

He was born in Benenden, Kent, and still lives there now. In earlier life he studied graphic design, but later his love of birds and wildlife drove him to specialise in Natural History Illustration at Bournemouth and Poole College of Art, and he has been a freelance illustrator ever since.

The area in which he lives inspires him the most, with its quintessential country lanes, meadows, woodlands and marshes. However he doesn’t confine himself to just this one area, and in his search for wildlife he has travelled to regions and continents across the globe including Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Central America. He keeps a particular focus on accurate illustration, and has an ability to breathe life into his artwork which can only come with countless hours spent observing birds in the field.

His work has often featured in the Society of Wildlife Artists’ Natural Eye exhibitions at The Mall Galleries in London, and at the 2023 show he won the Watercolour Prize for his painting of a great grey shrike. He has also worked on books too numerous to mention, and has been regularly commissioned by the RSPB to illustrate calendars, greetings cards, educational posters, and even a smartphone app. Other projects include artwork for various bird magazines, and a series of WWF Sanctuary T-shirt designs, many worn by celebrities to highlight the importance of conservation work around the world.