Stevens was taught to use pen and brush by Ewald Namatjira, the son of Albert Namatjira. He was originally an exponent of European style painting, but adopted Papunya techniques in about 1985 during a period of residence in the community in the mid 1980s. His work subsequently returned to his older watercolour style.
Of Pitjantjatjara heritage, he was taught to use pen and brush by Ewald Namatjira, the son of Albert Namatjira. He married a woman from Papunya and resided there for a few years in the mid ’80s, where he used these skills illustrating books for the Papunya Literature Production Centre. He turned his hand to Papunya painting in about 1985, producing some strikingly original paintings incorporating elements of both traditions. He subsequently lived in Alice Springs, returning to the Hermannsburg watercolour style of his earlier work.