Atumn’s Drive
” I didn’t come from a family of artists, I wasn’t top of my class or win a lot of awards but I’ve always had a strong work ethic and the passion to work on my craft.” Steven grew up in Richmond, Virginia where he discovered his love for art at a very early age. With little interest in anything else, Steven took the next big step towards his pursuit of a career in art when he earned his bachelor’s degree in fine arts at Virginia Commonwealth University. He would later earn his masters in fine arts from Marywood University, where he also met his wife/ fellow artist Evelyn. Instant success was not in the cards as Steven continued showing at a string of coffee shops, libraries and other businesses. Eventually his hard work paid off with a few local awards that soon caught the attention of two gallery owners. Since his venture into gallery life, his landscapes have been well received by collectors as his paintings are part of several private collections such as Hilton Hotels, the Boy Scouts of America, Dominion Resources, Virginia State Department, the National Parks Service and the United States Air Force. Since going full time as an artist in 2008, Steven has been included in several local and national juried competitions including the Richeson 75 Landscape Competition, Plein Air Salon, the International Salon Competition, the Oil Painters of America Salon and the Art Renewal Center. Steven also had the privilege of being a part of a statewide traveling exhibition with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. He has participated in several artist in residency programs in Michigan, Indiana, Iowa and Colorado (Sept. 2015). In 2014 he was selected to create the Ohio Governor’s Art Awards by the Ohio Arts Council. Steven, with the assistance of his lovely wife Evelyn, continues to work hard in the advancement of his career. Currently, his work is represented by the B. Deemer Gallery in Louisville, KY, The Sharon Weiss Gallery in Columbus, OH, the Vision Gallery in Atlantic Beach, NC, the Glave Kocen Gallery in Richmond, VA and the Lovetts Gallery in Tulsa, OK. “I should have quit years ago but that would have proved so many people right.” – SW