Stephen Doig is an artist of considerable talent. Born in Oxford in 1964, his encounter with art began at early age - pencil drawings and colour sketches were the foundation for the excellent work he produces today. Following a period in various professions, including a spell in the Army, Stephen Doig decided to commit himself to painting. The combination of his talent and his love of sport proved the ideal recipe for the creation of dramatic life studies depicting the speed, movement and skill of games such as football and rugby. A talented draughtsman, Stephen Doig's initial work centred upon pencil sketching, however, the confidence to add colour in the form of pastel has transformed his drawings to highly finished and accomplished paintings, combining accuracy with depth and an essential atmosphere. Stephen Doig won the Fine Art Trade Guild's Best New Artist of the Year in 1997. His portrayals of sport have earned him a reputation as the country's best contemporary sporting artist, whilst his latest series entitled Legends of Rock has drawn praise for such unusual and evocative portrayals.