An exploration in ephemera
Steve has been an Artist and Illustrator for over 20 years, working with a large number of high profile clients here in the UK and the U.S. Most notably these include household names such as Red Bull , Virgin , Aston Martin , EMI , Honda , Nissan , The Guardian, The Financial Times, Volkswagen , Royal Opera House , English National Opera , Lucasfilm and Disney .
Steve graduated with a first class Degree in Communication & Graphic Media from the Kent Institute of Art and Design, before moving to Hackney,
East London in the early 90’s . Working across many areas of the publishing, Editorial and advertising worlds, Steve’s early commissions were completely rooted in the mixed media , cut and paste tradition of collage. Integrating original analogue film photography and expressive painted textures with a diverse and extensive collection of found printed ephemera , his intuitive approach to the layering and weaving of disparate elements, result in unique and distinctive perspectives. Blending and fusing together digital and analogue techniques with hand rendered elements his exploration of pop culture and it’s language inspires him to produce collaged and graphic expressions of vibrant beauty. Layer upon layer of printed ephemera and graphics are constructed and built up to create their own unique and distinct visual narrative. Heavily inspired by the world of music and film and also by the likes of artistic luminaries as varied as Robert Rauschenberg and Vaughan Oliver, he explores constantly evolving and experimental processes . His design education constantly informs the compositional decision making, honing and balancing the smallest of details but also allowing and celebrating the organic element of chance. Years of studio experimentation has naturally led to the embracing of digital techniques which now form an important and integral element in his overall image making process, although the informed and intuitive decision making remains unchanged.
Steve grew up near Bath in the west of England and this is the city he now calls home with his family, his artist wife Beccy and their two children.
His works appear in many private collections and he has exhibited in various group shows in London at the Coningsby Gallery.
He has won several design and illustration awards including Silver award for his advertising work for Hitachi (SFADDY/Silver) USA.