STEPHEN GAYFORD ARTIST INFO

Stephen Gayford explaining his wildlife paintings:

(Found on the HAED website)

Heaven and Earth Designs...

http://heavenandearthdesigns.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=160_620

Artist Information

Stephen Gayford is among the foremost
wildlife artists in the UK and his art is
appreciated by many international collectors.

As a professional artist Stephen paints from
a depth of knowledge and passion and each
work is inspired and informed by countless
hours of personal observation and research.
By combining intricate detail, dramatic lighting,
and anatomical accuracy, he has become
widely known for his "up close and personal"
compositions.

He travels frequently to research his subjects in
their natural habitat believing there is no substitute
for personal experience in the field. More often,
he'd rather be on safari in the thick of the experience
than indoors painting it.

He says, "Painting, for me, has never been a hobby,
it's not a relaxing experience - I feel compelled, even
driven to paint - I have heard professional writers
and sportsmen say the same. Since I was twelve I
have always painted. It is a passion, a labour of love.
I dislike front light, (i.e. the sun behind the
observer), I prefer back light or side light, or
diffused light as on a cloudy or dusty day. I love
dust and mist because it portrays the volume of air
between the objects."

"I start with little sketches in pencil on an A5 sized
pad. I may do one, two or twelve until I get the
right composition. When painting I have a large
mirror behind me and I sometimes view the painting
in reverse. If something in the painting does not
feel right to me, it becomes obvious in the
reflection and I can then easily correct it. People
often ask how long it takes me to do a painting.
The answer is, I don't really know. I work on
between two and ten at once. I like paintings when
I first start them as they have a simplicity, and
the more I work on them, sometimes the further
away from the original inspiration they can become,
so I start another one."

"By the time I have started the third or fourth one
I can return to the first and work on it with a
new inspiration."

http://heavenandearthdesigns.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=160_620

Finished pieces gallery:


HAED Gallery

Please click the link and then click on the left
of screen link for "Show Albums and Stories".

http://s1327.photobucket.com/albums/u678/HAED-Gallery/

Several HAED Fantasy Art artists have pictures
on my website click-a-pic full screen galleries
slideshows, including some wildlife pictures.

http://www.fantasyart.ukartists.com/

Larry Elmore 1 2
Luis Royo 1 2 3 4
Barclay Shaw 1 2 3
Alan Rabinowitz 1 2
Boris Vallego 1 2 3
Julie Bell 1 2
Jim Burns/Jim Warren
Jeffrey Wilkie
Magical Art
Michael Bridges 1 2
Vincent Segrelles/Wojtek Siudmak
Keith Parkinson
Kelly McLarnon
Hajime Sorayama
Caldwell-Sweet-Nemo
Mullins
Dixon-Attila
Maitz
Josephine Wall
Jean-Paul Avisse/Jonathon Bowser

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