Born in Helensburgh in 1964, Stephen showed remarkable talent and went on to study at Glasgow School of Art, graduating in 1987. His degree show caused an absolute sensation, his work even appeared in The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art the same year, whilst still a student! Stephen's much publicised 'arrival' was a highlight in a period of incredible excitement surrounding the history of the School of Art, and of Scottish painting as a whole. A leader of 'The New Glasgow Boys', they achieved national and international success and renewed interest in figurative painting. Two years after graduating, Stephen held a solo exhibition at the Marlborough Fine Art in London and quickly established an international following. His work is held in some of the most sought after collections in the world and shown in the most prestigious galleries, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and The National Portrait Gallery London and Edinburgh. Drawing on the figurative Glasgow tradition, Old Master paintings, and the work of Degas and Sickert, Conroy concentrates on depicting the male figure, either alone or in groups. From the late 90's he began to explore figures in motion, concentrating predominantly on the male figure in isolation against a plain background.
Gallerist comment - 'Just up the road from the Ballater Gallery, the fabulous Fife Arms Hotel has a Lucien Freud in reception. Stephen Conroy knew Freud well and was a good friend of Francis Bacon. Stephen has for years loved fishing on the River Dee. I feel incredibly honoured to be showing Conroy in Ballater. '