Steven works on several different series concurrently, creating crossover in application choices: color, shape, line, painting techniques, use of pattern, and texture. There’s no preconceived notion of a final destination. Starting with a basic composition he draws and paints with an intuitive, gestural approach allowing what is taking place on the surface to dictate the direction of each work. Chance and unexpected results are encouraged and play a role in the outcome of his work.
Steven mixes mediums including latex, tempera, acrylics, pastels, charcoal, graphite, ink, tobacco, sand, and sawdust. He works on many different surfaces like watercolor paper, yupo, reclaimed wood, various artist boards, canvas, and Styrofoam.Personal subject matter serves as the structure as he paints, draws, scrapes, and rubs in a focused yet intuitive process exploring the use of these materials. In this way, he pairs polar ideas about the world we live in such as: relationship and alienation, humor and guilt, beauty and ugliness, and order and chaos.
Steven graduated from Northern Illinois University in 1990 with a Master of Fine Arts studying under Gordon Dorn, John Rooney and David Driesbach; as well as Robert Bornhuetter, Dorothea Bilder and Jack Olson. In 2018 he was accepted into the Contemporary Gallery Program with The Art House in Chicago where director Rebecca George instructs artists on how to market themselves and their work, and encourages a variety of art making techniques.
“Lac de Genéve”
dry pigment pastel on panel, 10” X 12” W, unframed. $80
"Illinois Impression"
"Winter Solstice"
Show Announcement
“Heather”, 2017, mixed media on Yupo paper, 26” H x 20” W, unframed (SOLD!)
"Lioness"
"Alien"
on yupo paper, 26" H x 20" W, unframed. $300
"From the Soil", 2016, paint and charcoal on canvas, 24" H x 48" W. (SOLD!)
“Black Guitar Still Life”
media: paint, charcoal, and pastel on yupo paper, 40" H x 26" W, unframed. $400
“Birth of Venus”
media: paint, charcoal, and pastel on yupo paper, 26" H x 20" W, unframed. $300
“Lips”
media: charcoal and pastel on yupo paper, 20" H x 26" W, unframed. $300
“Guitar and Cello 2”
media: paint, charcoal, and pastel on yupo paper, 20" H x 26" W, unframed. $300
“Marriage”
paint, charcoal, and pastel on yupo paper, 20" H x 26" W, unframed. $300
“Nude Still Life”
media: paint, charcoal, and pastel on yupo paper, 26" H x 20" W, framed. $500
*temporarily unavailable
“Venus de Rodin” is based on a sculpture by Auguste Rodin, which I saw in the Rodin sculpture garden at Stanford. For context, Rodin executed 'The Thinker'. 'Venus de Rodin' is an early exploration into the use of untraditional media: sawdust mixed with paint, untraditional ways to apply paint, and the over-layering of different images. In person one can see a landscape turned on its side. Media: painting with sawdust on canvas, image size: 30" H x 24" W. $250
“Autoportrait Blue”, media: paint on canvas, image Size: 36-1/2” H x 24-3/8” W, unframed. $400
“Symbioticism”, media: paint, charcoal, pastel on canvas, image size: 48-3/8” H x 24-1/2” W, framed. $500
“Pastoral Malaise”, media: paint and charcoal on canvas, image size: 24-1/2” H x 36-1/2” W, framed. $500 (on display at THE ART BOX, 308 E. Lincoln Highway, DeKalb, IL 60115, 815-758-0313)
“Illinois Impression”, media: paint and charcoal on canvas, image size: 11-3/8” H x 36-3/8” W, framed. NFS