Stephen Whittle was born in Leeds, England in 1953. He began etching at Chelsea School of Art, London in 1970 and continued at Brighton College of Art, from which he received an honors degree in fine art in 1975. The next few years were spent in Switzerland and England, working as artist, teacher and graphic designer. In 1980 he established his etching studio near Skelmersdale, Lancashire and began exhibiting in galleries around Great Britain. Whittle's vision of nature as a place of harmony and balance was expressed in his early etchings. From the beginning he ultilized his intensely personal sense of color and rhythmic, flowing composition to create "miniature worlds" on copper plates. Many of these early editions were quickly sold out. Throughout the 1980's, Whittle worked with major publishers such as London Contemporary Art and CCA Galleries, and his vibrant floral and landscape scenes soon gained popularity worldwide. In the early 1990's, Whittle exhibited at art shows in Tokyo, Paris, Frankfurt and New York. Always in search of a new challenge and broader horizons, Whittle moved his studio to Iowa in 1992. His arrival in America inspired brighter colors and larger pieces and he developed a method of embossing designs around the border of the etched images. In 1997, the Whittle family relocated to northern California where he began a series of etchings depicting vineyard and wine related themes. Whittle passed away in a boating accident at Angora Lakes, Tahoe in 2001, and is survived by his wife and their two children. A trust fund has been established for the children.
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