Stephen Liddle (b. 1970)

Stephen Liddle is an artist living and working on the outskirts of the Stoke-on-Trent area. Originally from a North East England mining town, he studied illustration in Wrexham, North Wales. After a few years in London, he moved to Stoke in the mid-1990s.

Artistic Influences and Background

Stephen grew up in Spennymoor, a settlement originally built in the 1930s in County Durham. This is also where artist and Pitman painter Norman Cornish studied at the art school set up for the miners. Cornish was the last surviving member of the "Pitman's Academy" art school at the Spennymoor Settlement in County Durham, and Stephen cites Cornish as an influence in his work.

Artistic Practice

Fascinated by the industrial landscape and history of Stoke-on-Trent, and the similarities with the terrace streets of the North East, Stephen began walking the city, sketching, photographing, and painting the buildings of Stoke-on-Trent's industrial heritage. His early work, created during outings with the Urban Sketchers, is illustrative and stylised, with elements reminiscent of Julian Trevelyan's images of the Potteriesm moving on to a more expressive representation of the streets of the Stoke on Trent.

Solo Exhibition and Recognition

Barewall were delighted to launch Stephen's first-ever solo exhibition in October 2019, titled "Streets of Your Town". It was a resounding success, with all but one work selling, making it a complete sell-out show. The preview opened at Barewall Art Gallery on Friday, 11 October (6:30–8:30pm) and continued to Saturday, 9 November 2019. Many paintings were bought by collectors on the night as well as by visitors new to Stephen's work.

Recent Work and Continued Growth

In late 2020 during lockdown, Barewall brought a new collection of work by Stephen to the gallery, including older pieces from the Urban Sketchers period. In 2021, Barewall received additional work from Stephen's studio made during lockdown, now available online and at the gallery in Burslem. Barewall continues to promote Stephen's work, with new galleries in the North taking an interest and selling his pieces.