Stephen Martyn Welch
Stephen Martyn Welch is an award-winning New Zealand portraiture artist currently based in Wanaka.
Stephen is frequently commissioned to undertake portraits and past engagements have included a large-scale work for The Wellington Club featuring three of its members, Governor Generals Sir Jerry Matepare, Sir Michael Hardie Boys, and Sir Anand Satyanand. He has the ability to not only capture a likeness but is also able to transfer the character and mood of the person onto canvas, a rare and sort after talent.
If you have been thinking of commissioning a portrait and would like to see some examples of Stephen’s work and information on how the process works please contact the Parnell Gallery team.
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Born in 1972, Stephen went on to teach himself to paint with oils while being influenced by celebrated portrait artists such as Lucien Freud and Jenny Saville.
Working as a full time artist from 2005, Stephen had immediate success when in 2006 he was named as the recipient of The Peoples Choice Award at the Adam Portraiture Awards. He would go on to win the award in 2012, a vivid highlight in his career.
Of his practice, Stephen says “As an artist I’m not trying to tell a story or make my motives clear, I’m showing you a split second in time that you, the viewer, can interpret as a narrative or decide where the split second will take you next.”
Parnell Gallery has represented Stephen since 2018.
Awards: [ New Zealand’s prestigious biennial Adam Portraiture Award ]
2006 – The peoples choice award
2008 – Finalist
2012 – 1st Place Winner
