Since he was introduced by his A Level teacher to the work of Frank Auerbach, Stephen Simpson has always been fascinated by the way paint is applied to canvas and how different methods can create different effects. Wanting to understand the art world, after obtaining his degree in Fine Art Stephen accepted an internship and then a full-time position at Christie's.
Four years at the world's leading auction house provided him with an opportunity to see some treasured works of art and to work with leading specialists in the art world, broadening his knowledge and inspiring him greatly; so much so that he felt brave enough to embark on painting as a career.
When Stephen plans a painting, he likes to sit at his desk with his sketchbook and photos, and focus on the elements he finds interesting before turning his hand to a quick sketch. He then loosely transfers this sketch directly onto canvas using graphite. He then paints in the outlines of the key elements and captures the sea's emotion. He enjoys working in acrylic as it allows Stephen to work quickly and build up layers, which create depth of colour and a range of textures from very thin-washed to impasto where the paint appears to come out of the canvas.
