Stuart grew up in Hampshire and left school in the 1970s. He went straight out to work but returned to college in the 1980s to retrain as a graphic designer and illustrator. Then, Stuart's talent as an illustrator and cartoonist emerged and he took the first steps into the commercial world, his work appearing in various newspapers and publications over the years.

Being totally self-taught, Stuart's only real love is painting, but he devoted most of his adult life to teaching others how to paint and draw. His classes proved very popular but, after spending his honeymoon in Devon, he re-located to South Molton and said goodbye to Basingstoke to start anew with his new wife Jane.

Stuart immediately fell in love with the coastal towns, villages and scenery in North Devon and now spends his time painting his new and beautiful home. Working mainly in Acrylics, Stuart finds the non-fading colours, rich textures and almost indestructible nature of the medium, ideal for catching the light and sometimes fleeting nature of his surroundings.