Interview
Steve Shown
Steve has been creating something since forever, at least since gestation. He has never studied art formally, but he’s been to many museums and galleries and read scads of books. Steve has always been pretty good about making things described in the air show up in the material world, but now that he is retired, he has more time to play in his studio. The creative process is at once exhausting yet exhilarating, emptying yet fulfilling, a stillness wrapped in an awe-struck wonderment. Steve lives in Napa, CA with his wife and cat.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I have no formal training in art, though I have read a ton of books and been to scads of museums and galleries. I always take the time to really absorb the art in front of me. From time to time I would dabble in some sort of art project. Meantime, I had to make a living. After working in various fields I ended up in construction, where I learned to listen to a customer wave their hands in the air describing what they want, then making that become a reality. Now that I'm retired, that is what I do now, listen to an inner voice raving about, then making that vision a reality. Being self-taught, I never knew if I was making a mistake. I have always been free to experiment and just do it.”
What inspires you?
“Beauty and harmony. Balance and calm. The is enough trauma and turmoil in the world, if I can contribute a few islands of respite I will be pleased. The Baha'i Faith grounds me, gives my life some structure and a vision of meaning. Sometimes I will read a quote from Baha'u'llah, the Prophet Founder of the Baha'i Faith, and ask myself, "What does that look like?" and I start sketching. I also paint what I see in my gardens, Spring is a busy time in that way. Otherwise I just paint personal expressions, like when I recently painted a portrait of my mom from memory.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“I like to explore spirituality, our stiving for peace and reconciliation. With ourselves, with each other and ultimately with our Creator. I'm not trying to preach, just show people what I have seen as possible. The hard solidity of this world is such an illusion: it's all a classroom for something bigger, more enduring. I'd even go so far as to say there is no value to my art in itself: each painting is only a vessel on the sea carrying a message. If there's no message for you, go on to the next vessel. Or even someone else's vessels. But I challenge you to ask: What world is being presented here? Do I want to live there? What would it take to make that world mine?”
How would you describe your work?
“My work is largely abstract, to some extent or another. Whether it is all abstract, or combines abstract with some element of realism, there usually is some structure involved. I guess I can't completely shake my days of hammering 2x4s together. A lot of my work is structured around a nine-spoked wheel of life. For what is worth, nine is the number of completion.”
Which artists influence you most?
“I love Degas, his courage to see the world differently from the way it was seen in his day. I get serenity and calm from him. The same for Michelangelo, for he saw beauty in what was right before him, hidden in plain sight. I am awed by his beauty and perfection. Chagall for his fluidity and palette. In my studio I listen to an eclectic mix of Miles Davis, Coltrane, Bradford Marsalis, Debussy, Mozart, or Tibetan flute music.”
“My work is largely abstract,, to some extent or another.”
What is your creative process like?
“I typically start with some sort of a vision where I see most of the painting. I sketch it out and experiment with this line or that squiggle. I then scale up to the size of the canvass. There is still room for a lot of impromptu variations of the original vision as I discover what it actually looks like. Along the way I show the piece to my wife to get her feedback. She's a hard headed, no nonsense accountant, so it's good to get someone else's perspective, to make sure I'm communicating. She's my first muse and critic, all rolled into one.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“By processing their own fears and dreams, artists can off the world a different way of seeing itself, of the people relating to eachother in a different way that brings hope and order to a crazy, fragmented world. As the world continues to deteriorate into chaos and self destruction, the artists role will become more critical to point the way forward.”
Website: www.undertheoaksstudio.me
Instagram: @steveshown70
