"Growing up in South-East England on the Essex Marshes, I developed a love of wildlife in general and of birds and fish in particular. In my work I hope in some way to capture a gesture or attitude that will resonate with the viewer in the same way as it does for me. I try to represent my own emotional response to my subjects rather than pursuing correct anatomical detail.
From my father, photographer and artist Nigel Henderson, I learned to trust my own eyes and delight in the finding of discarded objects; rusty metal and driftwood are frequently key parts of my work.
The biggest influence on my work came from meeting Guy Taplin, and seeing his carvings at first hand in his workshop was a revelation. There were a lot of resonances here with the way my father had worked. Many found items became trophies in their own right, lifted off the beach or from a wrecked building and given new significance".
Stephen shows at more than 10 Galleries throughout the UK and gained a residency at Cill Rialaig Arts Project in Sept 2009. This year there will be a one man show in Shepherds Market in December and his work has been selected for inclusion in this years Birds in Art exhibition at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wisconsin USA.
