About the Artist and Exhibition:

About ‘A Story of Wool’: Stephen Balhorn is an artist and wool classer based in Port Albert, Gippsland. As an artist, Stephen works mostly in oils, painting his surrounds. He is best known for his kitchen interiors, regional townscapes and his vibrant, uninhibited colour palette. As a wool classer, ‘A story of Wool’ is a body of work following Stephen’s 40+ years in the wool industry. Being both an artist and wool classer, Stephen is in the unique position of being able to document and share with us an intimate, nuanced, insider’s vision of the shearing sheds and wool industry. Accompanying the works will be detailed written descriptions of what each painting depicts and represents to Stephen, from his wool classer’s perspective. ‘A Story of Wool’ is a fascinating, aesthetically beautiful way for those of us outside the wool industry to be drawn in to learn about it. For those inside the industry it is an authentic honouring and documentation of their life and work through art.

About Stephen Balhorn: Stephen started school at Port Albert, near Yarram where he completed Year 12. Later he completed a Diploma of Visual Arts at The Central College of TAFE and began a Fine Arts Degree at Monash University at Churchill. Stephen emphasises colour in his work and believes ‘With colour the humblest subjects can be beautiful’. He has spent 40 years as a wool classer which has enabled him to understand the happenings in the shearing shed and the movements of the workers while performing their tasks. His paintings reflect these observations. In his younger days he worked as a shearer in England. Later, after qualifying as a wool classer he worked in Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and New South Wales. His interest in wool has also taken him to Georgia, Eastern Europe. Stephen has travelled to Georgia, Turkey, Portugal, Spain, Finland, USA and the UK. He has exhibited in Yarram, Port Albert, Toora, Sale, Meeniyan, Maldon, Daylesford and regularly sells work through In the Skies Art & Music, Lorne.

View ‘A Story of Wool’ Catalogue here (please note, sales from this catalogue have now closed)

View Available Works by Stephen Balhorn, please contact the artist directly