As a young painter, Stephen Holland could not afford to hire live models. The images he found in boxing magazines became his subjects. There he saw the male form in all its power and glory, expressed as contemporary gladiators.

He put as much discipline, devotion and determination into his own work to express what both he and the athlete experience. None of this came easy for Holland. As a child he was handicapped and had to watch his family and friends play sports.

Holland's talent and contributions to art and sports received national recognition in 1993, when the American Sport Art Museum awarded him the honor of Sports Artist of the Year. Other honors include being the Official Artist of the Los Angeles Kings and being one of the twelve artists selected by the United States Olympic Committee to represent the 100th Anniversary of the Olympics.