Stephen Beckett Whatley (b.1965) studied at the Ipswich School of Art from 1981 to 1983, at the Norwich School of Art from 1983 to 1986, and at the University of London from 1986 to 1987. From 1990 to 2000 he was a part-time Lecturer of Portraiture at Kensington & Chelsea College.
Much of Whatley's work features architectural landmarks; since 1992 he has been honoring the anniversaries of landmarks in London by painting them in their centenary years, including such sites as Broadcasting House, the Tate Gallery, Tate Britain, Tate Modern, and Tower Bridge. In 1999, London Transport commissioned Whatley to paint an interior—'The Grand Staircase'—which he did on location inside Buckingham Palace. This painting was reproduced on posters around the London Underground. The same year, the Royal Collection commissioned him to paint an exterior view of Buckingham Palace, which he did on location from the edge of Green Park. In 2000 Whatley was commissioned by Historic Royal Palaces and the Pool of London Partnership, to undertake a series of thirty paintings for HM Tower of London.
Whatley also is a prolific portrait painter of public figures, including actors Dame Judi Dench, Susan Hampshire OBE, Alec McCowen CBE, Sir Ian McKellen, Barbara Windsor MBE, Frances Barber, Prunella Scales CBE, Julie Walters OBE and Alison Steadman OBE. In 2008 Whatley's portrait of Barack Obama was selected from 100,000 images to be published in TIME magazine's 'Person of The Year' issue 2008/2009.
Whatley has exhibited in numerous exhibitions since 1983—including shows at the ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art), the Lloyd's Building and London's Olympia Exhibition Arena. He has had solo exhibitions since 1988, including at London's National Theatre in 1993 and in Cork Street in 2007. In 2012, his Diamond Jubilee portrait tribute of Queen Elizabeth II was exhibited at the Olympia International Art & Antiques Fair, London.
