Stephen Gunner is a third generation Territorian, his family has been involved in the cattle, mining and transport industries since 1930. It was on his grandfather's cattle station north of Tennant Creek that he started drawing and painting. The isolation of station life, the long years of severe drought and working with cattle had a huge influence on his talent for sketching and painting. Stephen started to paint with oils in 1975. His style has developed somewhere between modern abstract and realist, which is quite unique. One of Stephen's paintings was purchased by the Chief Minister's office and presented to the then Governor General Sir Zelman Cowan on a visit to the Northern Territory. Another was presented to Princess Alexandra on the occasion of opening the new gauge railway from Adelaide to Alice Springs. Stephen has had works acquired in various art awards with high commendation from the judges. One of his paintings was purchased and is a permanent collection of the NT Art Award. Stephen is now retired: living and painting in Yankalilla, South Australia.