Steve is a Ballarat-based internationally renowned mineral artist. He has a unique style combining watercolour, gouache, coloured pencils, or other media with black, white or grey backgrounds. His mineral art hangs in private collections around the world. Steve is happy to take on commissions.
Since childhood, Steve has enjoyed drawing cartoons and sketching. In the early 2000’s, he attended a number of Adult Education painting courses in Tasmania to learn techniques painting with oils and watercolours. He has also been interested in minerals for about 35 years. In 2010, he combined both hobbies and began painting minerals. He is now best known for his realistic images of minerals painted in watercolour, gouache, water-mixable oils, coloured pencils, or other media with black, white or grey backgrounds. He has developed techniques to successfully create a three-dimensional feel to the images. Painting minerals has a flow on benefit for Steve in that the close inspection of specimens improves his overall knowledge of the minerals themselves.
Steve was invited to exhibit some of his work at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show (Tucson, Arizona) in 2010, and again in 2015, and was invited to the June 2012 Joint Australasian Mineralogical Societies’ Seminar in Perth to show and discuss his works and techniques. His work has been published in mineral-related magazines, and hangs in private collections around the world.
Whilst minerals are the primary subject for Steve’s art, he also enjoys painting wildlife, portraits and occasionally landscapes.
In 2012, Steve started a double degree, Batchelor of Arts and Visual Culture, and despite achieving distinctions and high distinctions, had to put it on hold. It was too difficult for him to find the time to undertake the study, work full-time, and enjoy his hobbies. Now retired from working life, he still has no spare time!
Prices are determined by the degree of difficulty (how long it takes to create the artwork!).
Steve is available to undertake commission work and can be contacted by email:
or by phone (+61 419 369 483).