Jury - 2023 CHESTER COUNTY STUDIO TOUR

Steve’s Artist Statement:

We need gateways to something greater than ourselves. Art works for me. All art is in some way autobiographical, my work is, in a sense, a story about me. I was inspired by a gifted artist mother who shared her passion. Her encouragement knew no bounds: museum visits, sculpting in the yard, painting, and even showing artwork together. This relationship nurtured my understanding that Art is feeling something bigger than myself.
Understand there are voices out there that without creative forms of expression, we just can’t quite hear. This is how and where I fit in. Sometimes one’s material and concept work together within longstanding traditions, other times, they don’t. I am fascinated by the relationship of Nature to Manmade objects, which can often be conflicting. For me, my painting and my forged jewelry are ways I can engage this environment, through line, texture, and color (despite being colorblind). Both mediums constantly require me to expand my skills through experimentation. I enjoy the conflict between the flatness of a watercolor, and the three-dimensional forged jewelry. Yes, I like visually stimulating projects. They are great reminders that we may have forgotten our allegiance to personal truths, things like loyalty, trust…. most importantly, loyalty to the self.