Interview

Apr 2

Kenneth Steimle

Kenneth was born in Summit New Jersey in the 70's. His family moved around to different places in New Jersey for a while. One of his coolest memories was during his trip to school on route 17 towards Mahwah, he could turn in his seat and see the Empire State building. Kenneth was memorized by it and how tall it was. This interest always found its way into his drawings. He could spend hours developing drawings inspired by architecture, bridges, and trains. On many occasions they would explore NYC going to places like the Met, Guggenheim, and Museums of Modern. One of his defining moments was at the Met standing in front of Pablo Picasso's work. At this time, Kenneth believed the Met had just started building the Picasso rooms. He knew that he wanted to paint like Picasso. He remembers watching Keith Haring create his subway art on the local news in New York. As a kid in the 80's, the New York City skyline always inspired him. Kenneth would draw the skyline with the Empire State building and create the bubble letters for New York. He began to paint in his early twenties and fell in love with blending the combination of painting and drawing. Today, he continues to work in mixed media and uses his intuition to guide his art.

What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?

“Growing up in the New York and New Jersey metropolitan area as a kid I was immersed in many different styles of art and music. I remember watching the news and seeing the great artist of the 80's creating graffiti art in the subways. I established a way of drawing and mimicking at first the different style I saw around the city. I remember as a kid drawing the New York skyline and creating bubble letter graffiti just like what I would see on the subway cars. I grew from there and created intense drawings that were filled with emotion, energy and passion. Many times my work would not look realistic, but some dream state that entered my thought or muscle memory as I created the work. My art would develop just at that moment of creation. I had no drawn up plan, sketch or doodle, I still work that way today. My journey into the art world has been an interesting process, of getting into different shows, auctions, and collections around the U.S.”

What inspires you?

“What inspires me the most are beautiful sunny days, the birds singing and play outside with my kids. I enjoy laughing with my boys Milo and Hudson. I enjoy walking out in nature. Smelling beautiful flowers, petting dogs, and feeling alive.”

What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?

“My underlying message is about love, kindness, and empathy. Even though, some of my work can be edgy or developed from hard times from my past. My ultimate goal is to help support human kindness love and hope.”

How would you describe your work?

“My art is a mixture of memories, experiences, and emotions that are expressed by the art itself. I create my art without sketches or any concept of an idea. I have been working this way since I was a kid and feel confident in this way of working. I sense this way of creating allows me to be free from all things that are not necessary for the work. I use my muscle memory, intuition, and emotions to lead the way in my art. When all things are working together, I feel like I am dancing in the studio.”

Which artists influence you most?

“Some of the most influential artists for me are. Keith Haring for his amazing ability to create art without a blue print, his direct work with children's hospitals, and the huge impact his art had on the community. Jean Michele Basquiat, was a great inspiration to me for his energy, story telling, and ability to use any type of material to create art. Andy Warhol, was awesome for his approach on silk screens and how he changed the way people thought about art. Pablo Picasso changed the game of art through his innovations of cubism, portraits, ceramics, and sculptures. He opened the door for people like me to feel free to explore new ways of seeing. I truly admire Vincent Van Gogh 's tenacity, unwavering ability to create even though he was facing enormous amounts of negative criticism for his art. Lastly, El Greco's art captivates me with his outstanding brushwork that seems to float and capture light. His ability paints with passion and emotion.”

“My inspiration stems from the beauty of oceans and the mysteries of outer space, captivating me with their unknown realms.”

What is your creative process like?

“My creative process starts by gathering the materials and tools needed for my art session. This could be a trip to the art store for paint, brushes, or canvases. My next step is to select the group of colors I want to work with. I squeeze these colors into separate containers. I begin to pick brushes that I am interested in using, while making sure they are clean and ready to use. Developing this setup process helps me to lock in and set the stage for my first paint application of marks. The first application of marks will be made outside using spray paint in quick explosive gestures. These gesture or marks happen quickly without much thought. They bring high energy and develop a great starting point for me to engage and counter those marks. The rest of the painting happens quickly and with intuition.”