I’m never absent for too long but when I am it’s normally because I’m working on something behind the scenes or because I have been unwell. I have had to battle with some debilitating health issues over 40 years, like Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Pernicious Anaemia, Celiac Disease and Peripheral Nerve Damage in my legs so, for every day I work in the Studio I normally have to rest the day before and day after on either side. The good news is that when I am unwell, I can still do all my admin and take orders lying on my back.
So…… the secret of what I have been upto over the last 10 months, has been designing and quietly creating the most lovely sumptuous velvety feel Make Up Bags, Vintage style Pill boxes and adorable Pocket Mirrors to match and guess what! All made in Britain.

To top it all, I have worked with a family factory in India, designing these beautiful elegant metal Plant Pot holders in 3 luxury Jungle designs that are already selling so well and it’s only my first order.
So I’m happy and relieved, especially after a successful recent Wimbledon Open Studio event which went well.

Forever grateful for being able to create, design and make beautiful Paintings, Prints and have one of my dreams come true, to transfer them onto my first merchandise.

My aim is always to bring Life Giving Joy and Peace through my Paintings, bringing Nature in, in all it’s beauty and transporting you into another world.

Love from
Daphne

What’s my latest news?
Time for an update!

2023 was a monumental year.

A lot of very hard work; not taking my foot off the pedal.
I had the privilege and joy of several fantastic commissions and sales of 3 large Exotic Jungle paintings which each took me around two months to do. In the meantime I worked with 5 factories and dropped two, to produce my first official Fashion Merchandise from my Artwork.
It has always been a long held vision and dream to turn my paintings into moving Art in the form of luxury Silk Kaftans and Scarves, Kimonos, Pantaloons, Tote Bags and Cushions with most mixing and matching items.
The launch took place at Kelling Designs Showroom in Langton Street, London SW10 and was a huge success with a lot of very happy new clients.

In the meantime Sahara Fashion who have a chain of 16 outlets in Britain took on my Midrange Collection to show in 7 of their more prominent retail outlets from Tunbridge Wells, Cirencester to Oxford.

And I must not forget to mention when I took a stroll down the Kings Road in October wearing my first Pantaloons and carrying a matching Tote Bag, I got stopped 3 times at a Bus Stop asking where I had got my trousers from. And if that didn’t take me by surprise then walking into Jigsaw did when I was asked a further 2 times where I got my merchandise from and one was the Manageress herself. So I was a very happy bunny!!

Christmas 2023 and New Year 2024 were welcomed with open arms and January I have spent recovering.
Now it’s back to the drawing board painting new works of Art and new ideas. Also reaping the joys of the first Press Releases like being in Gentleman’s Magazine with a very surprising 4 page spread and other exciting write ups to come.

Onwards and upwards…. I go…..scary, exciting, overwhelming at times but nevertheless going from strength to strength and making dreams come true!
If you contact me directly via email for any orders of your choice, I will give you 20% off for having read this far!

See photos below
Have a good season ahead

Love Daphne x

The last 8 months have been mega.

My very long term dream of transforming my Art into my first Fashion Merchandise has been unfolding and becoming a reality.

Starting off with truly beautiful quality Silk Scarves, we are about to launch the first collection in September via Jigsaw in the Kings Rd. Not quite confirmed yet but they have expressed a real interest. So have Kelling Designs my favourite Interior Decorators off the Kings Rd. They would like to collaborate with my limited edition signed prints which will be shown in their fabulous small showroom in Langton Street. And last but not least, Sahara Fashion have put in their second order as a test run for the future. So I am grateful and excited. It really is such a joy to see one’s hard earned work my paintings being transformed onto gorgeous Kaftans, Kimonos, matching pants and other accessories. Watch this space. A new Online Shop is coming just for the merchandise which will be attached to my website here.

You will definitely want something in the collection either for yourself or someone you know.

Bye for now

Love

Daphne

Hi Everyone

Never a Dull Moment

During covid lockdown I was busy with commissions throughout and then as soon as lockdown was over there were several months of nothing! Being the summer months every one was focusing on Holidays here in Britain ofcourse. You never know what’s round the corner but it was a very good run painting from home whilst it lasted. Having said that, I was bursting to get out and back in the Studio which I love!

Wimbledon Art Studio’s is the most wonderful community you could wish for. The office staff are fabulous and many have been there for over 10 years like myself. There is a small established group of around 25 of us Artists who have been there forever and we often have lunch together in the sunshine outdoors when we can.
So… back to work….

2020 was a very fruitful year with a record number of paintings sold and I was truly grateful.

My Jungle scenes continue to be in demand but I have entered 2021 wanting a change by going into pastel coloured vegetation rather than the deep dark greens of the rainforest; still keeping my leopards and tigers as predominant features.
Deforestation, poaching and our endangered wildlife have been very much on my mind during lockdown hence the wildlife jungle paintings…

2019 was a great success. Almost every original painting of mine sold and they were all large pieces with beautiful frames. Jayne Rumsey from Ioana House Gallery was a huge part of this and I am very grateful to be in partnership with her.

There was also the launch of my limited edition Giclee prints on outstanding quality museum paper by the best printer in the country. I have been pleasantly surprised to see these taking off both through my website and the gallery…

You are invited to this superbly well organised event. And you can find me along the way……

Hi Everyone!

The last year and a half, since my Solo Exhibition in Earlscourt, I have worked non stop on commissions till end of January this year.

All a joy to do and at times most challenging but nevertheless unique one off pieces as usual!

The one I’m most proud of is one I cannot disclose fully as it is for a future poster for a film called Garden of Eden based on the life of Ernest Hemingway. However I can give you snippets which you will find by clicking here:

2017 was a monumental year! I got married in July to my fabulous soulmate Algie who I had got to know over a period of three years before we went up the Isle! We actually met in the church we still attend St Augustines in South Kensington and got married there.

I then had the largest one woman Exhibition I have ever had in Earlscourt in October. 2 years of work and it was amazing!

Sold lots more paintings and officially launched Daphne Lorenzo Lamps. These are all one off very quirky unusual Lamp made with lost and found objects and vintage collectibles. I design theatrical opulent lampshades to match. They went down a storm. See the video (right) of the evening if you have 5 mins.

Since the Exhibition, I have been working on various commissions. 

One went to Singapore, one went to Lebanon and another to Dubai. All for one lovely client.

 I also did an Indonesian Wedding for another client and friend.

Recently I have been fortunate to work on a commission for a Poster of a Film, based on one of Ernest Hemingways books, which I hope to have finished at the end of August. It is huge! Lots of exotic foliage, fruit, vegetation and the sea amongst other things. All the things I love to paint!

Then, I will be concentrating on smaller paintings  to exhibit at the November Wimbledon Art Studios annual Exhibition along with some new lamps.

Feel very blessed!

Love 

Daphne

Daphne Stephenson has spent a year and a half preparing for this exclusive Exhibition. She is well known for her Primitive Naive style of Folk and Visionary Art  but is bringing in a surprising new twist. The launch of a unique collection of theatrical flamboyant lamps made with lost and found objects and vintage collectables along side her paintings. This Exhibition promises to be not only exciting but inspiring and thought provoking.

Daphne has always been in love with Tropical scenes, Birds of Paradise and Lush Vegetation. Influenced by her early years living abroad, inspired by extensive travels through India and Africa and having lived and spent much time in Europe, she brings an eclectic mix of different cultures and backgrounds into every area of her work with an air of charm, wit and sophistication.

She has been particularly influenced by her time in the Bahamas, Bermuda, The Seychelles and Jamaica and this is evident in her Island paintings in the show.

“I love to create beautiful things that can transform and a space and give a room a complete facelift ”

The Exhibition ‘Let There be Light’ is only showing for just over a week from the 13th to the 22nd October. The Gallery will be open from 1pm to 8pm after the Preview night.

238 Old Brompton Gallery, Old Brompton Rd, Earlscourt SW5 ODE.

I have spent the last year and half painting and working towards a One Woman Show with one thing in mind.

To promote Gods Truth, Love and Glory in my work and therefore transfer a little bit of his goodness and wonder into the world.

I even got married in July 2017 to a wonderful Jamaican to my complete surprise and everyone else’s!

My best friend in the world!!

It’s no surprise we married, because I have always been in love with painting Caribean and Tropical Scenes, Birds, and Lush vegetarian. Influenced by my early years living in Pakistan and my extensive travels through India and Africa, I always marvelled at the beauty of nature in these places and in particular my times in the Bahamas, Bermuda, The Seychelles and Jamaica. Always trying to capture and share some of the magical world we live in.

I thank God for the gifts and talents and support he has given me without which all this would not have been possible.

It has not always been easy as I have had to weave my way through various bouts of ill health and have had to give in many a time, but I have got here bit by bit one step  at a time and won’t give up.

With love and blessings

Daphne

Hi Everyone

I have had a lot of trouble trying to get this Island scene right! Never have I had to come back to any painting so much to get the balance of colours right. The island was green before but I have changed that now. Even the frame colour has been changed three times and is about to be changed again!!

In the end I took it down to the kitchen common room at Wimbledon Art studios and put it on the wall there for a general consensus of opinion from my fellow artists! Well, I’m glad to say, I’m happy with it now and my website designer and a few others really love it, so I’m a happy bunny. I can’t sell anything I don’t like or doesn’t sit well with me but we got there in the end.

It’s going to transform someone’s room and lift the atmosphere there completely.

Daphne.

Since the mixed exhibition in October with my three sisters there have been continuing commissions and sales related to our exhibition which have exceeded all our expectations. I am so pleased to have a handful of clients that collect my work.

I gave the months of January, February and March to designing, editing and producing The Association of Britsh Naives book on behalf of all our members along with Judy Joel. A lot of hard work but worth it all. Hopefully we will be able to publish our work in a series of books once every two or three years with our wonderful printers The Colourhouse.

I had a long awaited for family holiday in India after Christmas which gave me the energy to produce the book and if that wasn’t enough, I have just come back from almost a month in The Seychelles painting and working with the church a bit. All paid for by the way. Spoiled beyond belief! So now I am off to Devon, to oversee an exhibition with The Association of British Naives at Delamore House. They have put on exhibitions for 10 years and this year we are their guests of honour. They expect 10,000 people to walk through the doors over the month of May. How exciting. We will also be launching our book and the press will be coming and doing some big features. An auctioneer recently advised people on the radio to invest in Naive Art because he reckons it IS the new genre which we believe in too.

Bye for now,

Daphne