Stephen Brayfield attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1981-'82 where he studied drawing, printmaking, anatomical rendering and scientific illustration. He left the Art Institute to begin a career in illustration and portraiture while taking courses at the American Academy of Art and the Palette and Chisel. In 1994 he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northeastern Illinois University with a major in studio art and a minor in earth science. It was during this time that he became interested in watercolor.

As an illustrator He contributed to World Book Student Dis...

Stephen Brayfield attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1981-'82 where he studied drawing, printmaking, anatomical rendering and scientific illustration. He left the Art Institute to begin a career in illustration and portraiture while taking courses at the American Academy of Art and the Palette and Chisel. In 1994 he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northeastern Illinois University with a major in studio art and a minor in earth science. It was during this time that he became interested in watercolor.

As an illustrator He contributed to World Book Student Discovery Encyclopedia which won the 2001 Golden Lamp Award for Children's Publications by The Association of Educational Publishers. He has done numerous other illustrations for magazines and books over the years and has provided illustrations for The Kids Ark Christian Children's Magazine since 2005.

Stephen re-located to Knoxville, Tennessee in 2008 and began a series of watercolor paintings depicting southern culture. Soon after he won the portfolio award in the New To Knoxville Juried Exhibition held by the Knoxville Art and Culture Alliance and won an award in the Southern Watercolor Societies 35th annual Juried Exhibition. This recent work shows that portraiture continues to be a vehicle for expression while incorporating an Americana element and scenery.

Exhibitions
2018 Southern Gothic collaboration with poet Tonya Wade, Emporium Center for the Arts Knoxville, TN.
2015 Dogwood Arts Juried Exhibition. Knoxville, TN
2014 Then And Now Exhibition Knoxville Art and Culture Alliance.
2013 36th Annual Southern Watercolor Society Juried Exhibition. Gadsden Arts Center. Quincy, FL
2012 35th Annual Southern Watercolor Society Juried Exhibition. Award winner, Sautee Nacoochee, GA
2011 Group exhibition on The Balcony at the Emporium Center, Knoxville TN
2011 Knoxville Art & Culture Alliance Annual Members Show
2011 Dogwood Arts Juried Exhibition. Knoxville, TN
2011 Regional Fine Art Exhibition. Knoxville, TN
2010 Paintings on display at the City Of Knoxville Mayors Office
2010 New To Knoxville Exhibition, Portfolio award winner Knoxville, TN
2007 North Shore Art League Inchworks Exhibit, Winnetka, IL
2007 North Shore Art League 83rd Annual Members Art Show, Winnetka, IL
2004 Watercolor 2004, Norris Gallery, Saint Charles, IL
2000 Reunited: Art Alumni Invitational, Northeastern Illinois University
1999 Watercolor 1999, Norris Gallery, Saint Charles, IL
1997 Midwest Watercolor Society 21st Annual Juried Competition
1996 Thresholds 2nd juried art competition, first place
1996 Midwest Watercolor Society 20th Annual Juried Competition
1996 Watercolor 1996, Norris Gallery, Saint Charles, IL
1995 13th Annual Chicago land Juried Competition
1995 The Zipping Room, Bogies Brew coffeehouse, Skokie, IL
1994 10,000 Plus Alumni Exhibition, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago
1994 Men Define the Feminine, Woman-made Gallery, Chicago, IL