Stephen Rea is a commission portrait artist working with many media he mainly produces private works for a wide ranging clientele. His work can be seen on the website httppenumbra.art.googlepages.com.
Stephen Rea was born in Blackley, Manchester in 1962, where he lived with his parents until his fathers work took them traveling around Australia when Stephen was two years old. Stephen and his family returned to Manchester in 1972.
Stephen has been painting since he was 14 years old, and has taught art techniques in Manchester.
Stephens largest exhibition was in 2000 at Manchesters Blyth Gallery. His Penumbra collection is inspired by the conflict between light and dark. The technique Stephen developed on his collage pieces enabled blind people to feel and read the pictures. Henshaws Society for the Blind sent a blind representative who on being able to feel the pictures was able to describe the image she felt and was moved to tears by the experience.