Stephen Carruthers studied art at Glasgow School of Art from 1979 to 1983 where he graduated BA Hons. He has been a professional artist for many years and today works from his studio in the West of Scotland and in France where he enjoys the scope to work en-plein air, sketching his subjects in pastel before developing the themes into oil paintings in the studio.

His work is distinctive for its many layers of oil that create layers and texture together with a richness of colour that often results in a tapestry effect. His subjects vary from landscapes, both in Scotland and in France, to more recently the novel painting of gardens and allotments.