Stephen Coburn was born in Sydney in 1955. He achieved his School Certificate in 1971 at St Ives High School and his Higher School Certificate at Chiron College in 1977 After attending Hornsby Technical College from 1972 –73, he studied at East Sydney Technical College between 1974-78,gaining his Diploma of Art(Sculpture). During this time he also played music and performed as the bass player for the Pop group Mental As Anything. He went on to further study at Canberra College of Advanced Education from 1980 – 83, specialising in the conservation of paintings and fine art.
In 1987 he began working as head conservator for The Sydney Trade Union Banners Project at Trades Hall Dixon St Sydney NSW.
In 1990 he moved to St Louis MO and established a private art conservation practice and exhibited his paintings. He returned to Sydney in 1991 as Head of Conservation for the Regional Galleries Association of NSW based at the Art Gallery of NSW.
In 1999 he formed Coburn Fine Art Conservation Pty Ltd that is based now in Headland Park Mosman NSW, preserving artworks for both public and private galleries and collections. Coburn has also travelled extensively and has a diverse range of professional experience. In 1969-71 he lived in Paris and travelled to Italy, Spain, England Switzerland, Belgium and Holland. In more recent times he has also visited Indonesia, the United States of America, and made extensive trips around Australia.
After many years of concentrating on painting, having solo exhibitions and exhibiting in numerous group exhibitions Coburn has returned to Sculpture. He exhibited at Sculpture By The Sea in 2002, 2007 and 2009. He had an exhibition based on the Hawkesbury River called the Deerubbin Series at the Depot Gallery Danks Street. Coburn describes his style as a balance between Human endeavour and Nature; there is an environmental theme through his work. This can be seen in his series “Revenge of the Roadkill” where he turns cars into animals. Coburn divides his time between his property in Wollombi NSW and his studio in Mosman NSW, and continues to paint, make sculpture and play music in both places.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
1984. Coburn’s Creatures Café Boom Boom, Canberra ACT
1985. Coburn’s Creatures 2 Dorrett’s Gallery bistro, Canberra ACT
1986. People I Love & Fear Dorrett’s Gallery bistro, Canberra ACT
1988 Night & Day Galaxy Gallery Balmain Sydney NSW
1989 Every Day Life The Gallery Café Surry Hills Sydney NSW
1991. Highway Series Ralston Purina International St. Louis MO. USA
1992. Highway Series 2 POD Gallery Darlinghurst Sydney NSW
1993. Highway Series 3 Studio Annandale Sydney NSW
1994. Anzac Bridge Series Studio Annandale Sydney NSW
1995. Anzac Bridge Series 2 Studio Annandale Sydney NSW
1996. Anzac Bridge Series 3 Studio Annandale Sydney NSW
1997. Central Australia Series 1 Studio Annandale Sydney NSW
1998. Central Australia Series 2 Studio Annandale Sydney NSW
1999. Flinders Ranges Series Sydney Art Gallery Ultimo Sydney NSW
2000. Central Australia Series 3 Studio Annandale Sydney NSW
2001. Central Australia Series 4 Studio Annandale Sydney NSW
2002. Studio Show Studio Annandale Sydney NSW
2005. Deerubbin Series Depot Gallery Danks Street Waterloo NSW
2006. The Landship Gallery Headland Park Mosman NSW
2014 “The Mavericks of Gravity” Michelle Perry Gallery Danks Street Waterloo NSW
2023. “The Birds of the Brook” Old Fireshed Gallery Wollombi NSW
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
1977 Collectors Exhibition Ann Von Burtough Gallery Newcastle NSW
1983 Unesco Exhibition Telecom Tower Canberra ACT
1985 Nine by Five Exhibition Ben Grady Gallery Canberra ACT
1986 Kingston Artspace Exhibition Ben Grady Gallery Canberra ACT
1987 Canberra Art Workshop Exhibition Gallery 41 Canberra ACT
1988 Aboriginal Coalition Art Show Bondi Pavilion Sydney NSW
1989 New Art 1989 Sydney BMG Fine Art Paddington Sydney NSW
Artists for Wildlife Australian Museum Sydney NSW
Opening Show The New Gallery BMG Rushcutters Bay Sydney NSW
1990 Art St.Louis MO. USA
1993 Young Artists Exhibition Wagner Art Gallery Paddington Sydney NSW
1994 St. Joseph’s Art Exhibition Hunters Hill Sydney NSW
1995 The Sight of Music Maudespace Sydney NSW
Ironsides Art Auction Powerhouse Museum Sydney NSW
Its About Time Graduation Exhibition Ivan Dougherty Gallery Sydney NSW
1996 It’s A Guitar Shaped World II Tamworth City Gallery NSW
1997 Amnesty International Mask Exhibition Art Gallery of NSW Sydney NSW
1998 Out of Australia Contemporary Paintings in Shanghai China
1999 Mental As Anything Exhibition Wollongong City Gallery Wollongong NSW
2000 It’s A Guitar Shaped World VI Tamworth City Gallery NSW
2001 Mosman Art Prize Mosman Regional Art Gallery Mosman NSW
Harmonic Visions I Tamworth City Gallery Tamworth NSW
2002 New England Art Prize New England Art Museum Armidale NSW
Sculpture By The Sea Bondi Beach Sydney NSW
2003 Harmonic Visions II Tamworth City Gallery Tamworth NSW
2004 Humane Society Extinction Denied Exhibition Arthouse Hotel
2005 Humane Society Extinction Denied Exhibition Arthouse Hotel
2006 NAS – WORTH FIGHTING FOR! Sydney Artworld
Casuarina Sculpture Walk Sculpture in the Vineyards.
2007 Sculpture in the Vineyards Wollombi Hunter Valley
Sculpture by the Sea Bondi
Art in the Open, Landship Gallery, Mosman
2008 Utes in the Paddock, Ootha NSW
Middle Head Artists, ArtHouse Hotel, Pitt Street Sydney
Sculptures in the Garden, Royal Botanical Garden, Sydney
Soil to Sea, Borrodell Gallery, Orange
2009 Utes in the Carrington, Katoomba NSW
Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi NSW
Bell Gallery, Berrima NSW
Gallery 207, Northbridge NSW
Landship Gallery, Mosman NSW
2010 Bell Gallery, Berrima NSW
2010. Finalist Sawmillers Sculpture Prize North Sydney NSW
2011 The Spirit of the Land Sculpture Prize Lockhart NSW
2011 McWilliams Wines Sculpture Prize Griffith NSW
2012 Artists of Headland Park Landship Gallery, Mosman
2013 Sculpture at the Finger Wharf Soho Gallery Waterloo NSW
2014 Finalist Sawmillers Sculpture Prize North Sydney NSW
2015 Sculpture at the Finger Wharf Soho Gallery Waterloo NSW
2017 The Road Less Taken Landship Gallery, Mosman
2019 Sculpture in the Vineyards Wollombi NSW2020 Sculpture in the Vineyards Wollombi NSW
2021 Sculpture in the Vineyards Wollombi NSW
2022 Sculpture in the Vineyards Wollombi NSW
Finalist Sawmillers Sculpture Prize North Sydney NSW
2023 Extinction Denied Exhibition Lions Cottage Sydney Botanical Gardens
COMMISSIONS
1989 Hyatt Hotel Coolum Queensland
1985. John Ford Collection St. Louis MO. USA
Since 1999 Many private commissions in Australia
COLLECTIONS
2011 McWilliams Wines Griffith NSW
2015 Mosman Art Gallery Mosman NSW
2022 Mosman High School Mosman NSW
2022 Moon Mountain Sanctuary Eumundi Qld
2023 Winmark Wines Broke NSW
PUBLICATIONS
1990 New Art Four Craftsman Press
1986. Images in Contemporary Australian Painting Craftsman Press
1994 Images in Contemporary Australian Painting Craftsman Press
1996. Images in Contemporary Australian Painting Craftsman Press
2013 The Mavericks of Gravity Chantal Mahoney
PRIZES
2009. Northbridge Art Prize for Sculpture
2010. Highly Commended Sawmiller’s Sculpture Prize North Sydney
2011. The Most Extraordinary Sculpture The Spirit of the Land Sculpture Prize Lockhart,
NSW
2011. Mc William’s Wines Sculpture Prize Griffith NSW