PORTRAITS

Today, April 21, 2026 is the Centenary of the birth of HM Queen Elizabeth II.

“…I very much wanted to pass on to you the delight and joy your beautiful painting has brought to me. My family love it – my father had quite a tear in his eye because he could see his mother in the portrait – and Mike, like me, thinks you are a truly superb artist..” – Sarah Greene, British TV Presenter, in a card, dated August 7, 1996, written to the artist, after her portrait sitting in July 1996.

Stephen B Whatley has been painting portraits for over 30 years capturing what might be described as an iconic essence with his distinctive and vibrant palette. His portrait of Barack Obama was published in TIME magazine and his Royal portraits have been reproduced in The Times (London), HELLO magazine & Majesty magazine.

Uniquely he visits to paint a portrait from a life in a single sitting; and also undertakes portrait commissions inspired by photographs. The majority of the portraits featured in this section are painted from life; interspersed by a selection of his portrait commissions from photographs.

This is a selection of the diverse range of portraits the artist has painted. Some of the portraits are sold and some of the works are currently available for purchase. Full details are in the captions above the paintings.