Stephen came to Elk in the 70’s and began working in watercolors under the tutelage of Bill Zacha in the 1980’s. Nature and beauty are his muses as he draws on imagery from our region and his life experiences. He has published several collections of poetry that complement his paintings. The poems and the artwork are both manifestations of his reflections and observations.

One aspect of his work is a focus on the figure. He often attends the life drawing group held weekly at the Mendocino Art Center where he prefers dry media such as charcoal. Several framed drawings from the model are in the gallery, and you will notice a captivating presence of figures in many of his watercolors. When he is able, he paints outdoors, but he often continues to explore creative ideas in the studio. Stephen likes to use a process he calls “collage,” inventing ways to fit images together to tell a story. Examples of this process will be featured in Persistence of Vision. “Conjuring Dragons” is an example of a painting made from more than one source. “Woman Walking into the Fog,” his newest piece, has a mysterious ambiguity. We are looking at the figure walking boldly down a foggy road. The same woman appears farther down the road, suggesting movement or the passage of time. To the left a cautionary worker holds up a stop sign. We are invited to follow her into the fog, wondering what lies ahead.