Ohio
Steven S. Walker, The James From Tredegar, oil, 24 x 48.
What inspired your winning entry? THE JAMES FROM TREDEGAR was inspired by one of my many trips back to my hometown of Richmond, VA. Anytime I go there, I make a point to hang out by the James River. Growing up I never frequented that part of Richmond, which makes it relatively new to me. Often I’m there later in the day to catch some of the most stunning sunsets as they pierce through the trestle.
How would you describe your style? I think my work falls under the umbrella of realism with the color embellishments of an American Impressionist.
What artists, living or deceased, have influenced your work? John Carlson, Jeremy Mann, William Wray, Rich Bowman, and Peter Fiore, to name a few.
What is the best advice you have ever received? A client can have a painting cheap, they can have it fast, or they can have it good, but they can only have two out of the three. Also, if you want to make a living as an artist, then conduct yourself like a business and not like a yard sale.
If you weren’t an artist, what would you be? An absolute mess.
What is one thing you will never paint? A happy tree. It never fails—whenever I’m giving a painting demonstration for one of my workshops, someone will ask, “Are you going to put a happy tree in there?”
When you are not painting, what do you enjoy doing? Spending time with my little girl and making my wife’s life easier.
What galleries represent your work? Glave Kocen Gallery, Richmond, VA; Lovetts Gallery, Tulsa, OK; Vision Art Gallery, Atlantic Beach, NC; B. Deemer Gallery, Louisville, KY; Sharon Weiss Gallery, Columbus, OH; Susan Calloway Fine Arts, Washington, DC.
Featured in the December 2015 issue of Southwest Art magazine–click below to purchase:
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