Trained as a fine art painter, Stephen first became interested in the possibilities of furniture design after seeing the work of Russian Master craftsman, James Krenov.  What started as a hobby soon became a full-time profession. The transition from paint to wood made all the easier by a tradition of woodworking in the family that stretches back three generations. Stephen’s work may have evolved stylistically from these early years but Krenove’s influence lives on in his love of working with hand-tools and his search for simple but elegant design solutions.

Working almost exclusively in solid timber, both native and imported, Stephen’s work over the last few years has taken on an increasingly organic quality. In the design of a piece of furniture, his instinct is to find a balance between the function of that piece and its sculptural form. Underlying the strikingly beautiful simplicity of all Stephen’s work is a mastery of the complexities of good design and a genuine love of his materials.

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