Stephen Gayford

Stephen was born in London in 1954 and has been devoted to wildlife and art ever since he can remember. Since combining these two passions to become a full-time wildlife artist some twenty years ago, he has had several major one-man exhibitions in London and the Channel Islands and was a participant in the prestigious 25th Anniversary Celebrations of Gerald Durrell's Jersey Zoo Trust. A Limited Edition was produced and the first 100 were counter-signed by Gerald Durrell, with proceeds donated to the Trust.

Stephen is renowned for his meticulous attention to detail and his extensive knowledge of what he paints. He will go to great lengths to ensure the accuracy and authenticity of both subject matter and habitat. He travels extensively to USA, Canada, Kenya and Tanzania on field trips to study the unique wildlife of those regions. His most recent expedition was to Northern India for two weeks in January 1999 to study tigers in their natural habitat. The end result of this field trip was a series of paintings that were included in a major exhibition at the prestigious American Art Gallery in April that year. One of his great concerns is for the conservation and future of wildlife and the habitat which is vital to their survival. Too this end he is a member of several conservation organizations.

His works are sought after by collectors in the United States, Europe, Middle and Far East - some collectors having acquired up to thirty of his large originals. Stephen is now self-publishing several of his own works in Limited edition form.