Anthony Steventon

Anthony SteventonStatement
My paintings are generated from within. They embrace the intuitive emotion of form color and composition, in a semi literal state bordering on pure abstract. My inspiration and energy comes from the works of such artists as Kandinsky, Picasso, Pollock and Kline. Such art is, for me, reactional to the moment. It is not meant to be understood, or explained, but rather to invoke a feeling, regardless of what that feeling is. It’s almost a paradox, to try as best as I can to examine my own thoughts and feelings towards the subject matter at hand, whilst at the same time needing to relinquish any control. Most of my work is with a palette knife on canvas. I find the combination of layered paint and the tactile strokes thus produced, give my paintings a feeling of depth, and a sense of “looking through to the other side”.

An important aspect for me is the sense and feeling of discovery in the entire process. There is an old saying that you never finish a work of art—you just stop working on it. For me this gives great satisfaction from taking of an idea or concept and working it through to ones own definition of completion, many times at the expense of the original thought. It’s as if the canvas, paint and process, all have to merge in one final coming together of work, re-work, rejection and accomplishment.

 

Bio page sampleBio
Anthony Steventon was born in the city of Stoke-on-Trent in the UK. One of three children. As a child, art was always an essential part of his everyday activities, and came to be one of his favorite school subjects. With ambitions of becoming an art teacher, he enrolled in a local art college as a full time student. As the course progressed, Anthony was to discover that his real passion was to lie in the creative aspect of actually “doing”, rather than teaching. To sustain himself Anthony obtained a degree in computer Science at a local university, and pursued a career in the computer industry, all the time leaning towards the fine arts in his spare time. On arriving in the USA in 1985, he continued his computing career, whilst continuing to take evening art lessons. After marrying Kathleen and then working abroad for some years, he finally settled in Pagosa Springs CO. in 2003. It was here that the realization of becoming a full time practicing artist finally began to take shape.

Retired from the computer industry, and working in a hand built studio, Anthony, and his wife Kathleen, now have the time to follow their dream. Anthony’s art is built on an intuitive feeling for abstract representation of formal subject matter, coupled with a love of color and a firm conviction in the emotional feelings which art generates.

Kathleen Steventon

Kathleen SteventonStatement
Intuition and serendipity are the two most powerful resources that guide Steventon in the studio. She relies heavily on them as she strives to express her feelings for the subject. Primarily using the palette knife, Kathleen’s images are quickly captured on canvas, which are reflected in the strong movement of the work. She loves to allow the viewer to fill in the ‘missing’ pieces by not revealing a full image, by selectively leaving out subject details to be wondered about. This leaves room for vast interpretation, giving way to the imagination, or even rejection of what is seen. That, for her, is a most important element of her work. It creates experiences of mystery and playfulness, which the artist feels are essential in both life and in painting.

Awards

  • 2009 – Best in Show, "Fur, Feathers, & Fins National Juried Show", Parklane Gallery, Kirkland, WA
  • 2008 – People’s Choice Award, Pagosa Springs Arts Council 5th Juried Exhibition, Pagosa Springs, CO.
  • 2007 – 1st Place Award, Visions of the West Exhibition, Steamboat Springs, CO.
  • 2007 – Honorable Mention Cover Art Contest, Mountain Connection Magazine, Evergreen, CO.
  • 2006 – 1st Place Award 2D, All Colorado Show, Curtis Arts & Humanities Center, Greenwood Village, CO.

Bio page sampleBio
Kathleen Steventon’s color-infused animal paintings focus on the equine as well as fauna, and other subjects of the West and American life. Steventon lives full-time in Pagosa Springs after moving to Colorado in 2003.  In Sept. 2004 Steventon was granted a commission by the San Juan Mountain Association to paint one of the 29 Pumas-on-Parade public art sculptures as a major fund-raising project. Since finishing the Puma project in June 2005, Kathleen’s art career has grown at a remarkable rate. Kathleen was part of the 2008 Colorado Governor’s Invitational Art Show and Sale, held at the Loveland Museum in Loveland, Colorado. Kathleen was featured in the April 2007 edition of Southwest Art magazine, as part of their “Start Your Collection” series. Steventon’s career has been steadily gaining steam, sophistication, and attention in both Colorado and the West.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

  • 2009, June, Featured Artist, Four Corners Gallery Guide, Durango, CO.
  • 2008, July, Cover Artist, Mountain Connection, Volume XV, No. 8, Cover page, Evergreen, CO.
  • 2008, June 19, “The Art of Resisting Desert Rock”, Durango Telegraph, by Jules Masterjohn, Durango, CO.
  • 2008, April, Southwest Art, “Colorado Governor’s Invitational Art Show”, Boulder, CO, page 100.
  • 2007, April, Southwest Art, “Start Your Collection”, Boulder, CO, page 34-35.

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

  • 2010, March – ‘Western Spirit Art Show & Sale’, Old West Museum, Cheyenne, WY.
  • 2009, October – "Fur, Feathers, & Fins National Juried Show", Parklane Gallery, Kirkland, WA.
  • 2009, March, "Western Spirit Art Show and Sale", Old West Museum, Cheyenne, WY.
  • 2009, September, "Creative Capitol-Southwest Colorado Exhibition", Denver Int'l. Airport and Capitol Building, Denver, CO
  • 2008, November, Old Firehouse Art Center, Longmont, CO.
  • 2008, June, Connections: Earth & Artist Juried Exhibition, Center of Studies Museum Exhibition, Ft. Lewis College, Durango, CO.
  • 2008, April, Invitational Artist – Colorado Governor’s Invitational Art Show, Loveland Museum, Loveland, CO.
  • 2008, March, Group Exhibition: “Abstractions of Nature”, Gallery One & Two, Steamboat Springs Arts Council, Steamboat Springs, CO.