Few artists can duplicate the emotional depth Steve Hanks achieves in
his spectacular watercolors. Each painting is meticulously drawn with
great attention to detail, reflecting a moment in time, often a token
of the artist's memory. The viewer's reward is a grand interconnectedness
with the artist's favorite moments, all familiar to our own experiences
as well.
Hanks, whose artwork primarily reflects women and children, spent his
childhood on the coast of California. His inspiration to paint developed
in his later teens, after his family moved from Ventura County, to New
Mexico. Away from the ocean and his friends, Steve found comfort in drawing
and painting. After graduating from high school, Hanks entered the University
of California at Berkeley in the 1960s. Later, he attended the Academy
of Art in San Francisco, and graduated from the California College of
Arts and Crafts in Oakland.
In 1973, Hanks began publishing a few of his originals as stone lithographs,
posters, and limited edition prints. Today, represented by Hadley House,
Steve Hanks continues to paint numerous, beautiful works that reflects
a mastery of form and an intricate involvement with light. Highly detailed
and realistic, his watercolors urge the viewer to become part of the
creative process. Mr. Hanks is passionate about life and passionate about
art. "I try to capture a certain introspective solitude in my figures",
he comments, "and deal with a vulnerability that all of us, sometimes,
feel."
A proud father of three, the artist often paints his children. Two
such prints, "An Innocent View" and "Things Worth Keeping",
were named among the nation's 25 most popular limited edition prints.
Print Shown: The Thinkers |
