Stephen Message
Stephen lives in the village of Benenden, Kent, England. It is here around the country lanes, meadows, woods and nearby Romney Marsh, that many of his inspirations for paintings derive.
After gaining a diploma in Graphic Design at Hastings College of Art and Technology, Stephen specialised in natural history illustration at Bournemouth and Poole College of Art and Design. Before graduating in 1988 he was one of only two students on the course selected for a scholarship to Belize, Central America to study the Jaguar and its jungle habitat, sponsored by Jaguar Cars plc.Since leaving college he has worked as a freelance artist. In 1989 he won the Richard Richardson Award and has twice been runner up in Bird Illustrator of the Year. He was commissioned by the RSBP to illustrate their 1994, 1997 and 1999 calenders plus numerous educational poster designs and greeting cards. Other projects have included a series of over twenty 'Sanctuary' wildlife t-shirt designs, many of which have been worn by celebrities and soap stars on television, artworks for various bird magazines and illustrations for Wildlife Art Ltd.
Books illustrated include, The Birds of Greece, Bill Oddie's Birds of Britain and Ireland, A Countryman's Diary , several of the Where to Watch Birds In Series, Bird Watchers Pocket Fieldguide, plate artwork for A Field Guide to The Birds of South East Asia and the cover design to the RSPB Handbook of British Birds.His original paintings have been exhibited in many galleries in London and the south east of England and are held in private collections in Britain, Europe, America, Australia and South Africa.
Stephen has travelled in search of wildlife to Europe, The Middle East, Central America and East and West Africa gaining first hand knowledge of his subjects for new images to capture on 'canvas'.
An experienced birdwatcher and an active member of Kent Ornithological Society and Dungeness Bird Observatory, many of his art and design works are donated for the societies' publications.
He is Currently working as sole illustrator for an identification guide to the Waders of Europe, North America and Asia to be published by Helm and paintings in both watercolour and oil for exhibitions.
Contact details can be found on Stephen's website: http://www.message-wildlife-art.co.uk/
