Stephen has always found great comfort in the landscape. He is constantly drawn to reflect a sense of connection with landscape in the form of paintings both small pieces in location and large studio pieces. He is forever intrigued by the ever-changing weather and seasons, which so dramatically change a locality. Stephen’s work intends to be a reaction or conjure a deep response to the essence of a place. Some of his work is instinctive drawing in location while other work derives from a memory or instinctive reaction to a place visited. One could say it is the energy and spirit of a place or landscape, which is filtered directly into his work. The way the light falls across the landscape and creates a particular mood is often an inspiration where fast compositional studies drawn in situ start the process of understanding the particular place or moment in time. Some of these places and landscapes he re-visits time and again and it is through his exploration and adventure that he has developed a deeper understanding of the place. Most of Stephen’s paintings tend to be from the Surrey Hills and the south coast.
