My Art Career in a Blink

Lets see Ill just give a bit of a run down and history of my art background

started in undergrad at Washburn University in Topeka Ks. I had first went back to school to do graphic design but after a semester got bored and went back to the hands on studio design and didnt look back.

4.5 years later low and behold I graduated with honors and won a purchase award from the Mulvane Art Museum for one of my piece to be in the permanent collection.


Damn I was sexy LOL

article on the award :http://www.cjonline.com/stories/050502/art_youngartists.shtml

Some works from 2000, 2001, and 2002
http://www.philstevens.com/2000works.WMV
http://www.philstevens.com/2001works.WMV
http://www.philstevens.com/2002works.WMV

Then I took a year off to apply and raise money for grad school and had my first one man show at TureArt in 2003.
























I got accepted on a full ride to two schools and chose American Univeristy in Washington D.C. to get my Masters in Oil Painting. It was the hardest and looking back some of the best times of my life. Life lessons learned I will remember forever. I excelled in art and graduated Suma Cum Laud with a 4.0 GPA the whole way through the program despite work, stress and losing my mother.
I was starting to create work that was Mine but I was burnt the hell out. I did get in afew shows including a show at the Art Romp just prior to leaving D.C.
















































At this point again I was Burnt he hell out on art, life and needed to do some sole searching for me and where my art was going. On a whim I packed my bags and headed to Thailand. In that times I spent most of my time just thinking reflecting exploring working and yes doing a bit of art trying to find where I was going. I was painting on mainly things I found of subjects / objects I happened to find many ugly dirty and what not, but I was finding my voice, I was painting putt ing in time and building a relationship with things the world stuff people normally pass dont see finding my content right where it was in the painting in building a relationship with my subject itself and with the canvas, and this began to lead to the best work of my career in a few years

























Great times in Thailand were had it was at the same time the most beautiful and most disturbing place Ive ever been. It was exactly what I needed and fit right into my way of thinking, my life and my art. I met great people, made life long friends, and an experience I will never forget. I will go back and I suggest it o anyone.

So I loaded on a plane after about 7 months to Montana and came back early chasing my heart and going back to a great woman and still great friend even though it didnt work for us. But again more lessons learned in both my art and life.

























OK so some time there, some art some laghs cries, life lived a few talks to school classes on art and I packed my bags again back to my home town of Topeka Ks. This is where I really found my voice for the first time in art and started to create a body of work that had a consistent voice. A work that clearly shows progression and consistency each work leading to the next. Shortly after arriving I was asked to take part in a two person show in Kansas City. Kind of an honor as I had heard from others after the fact they had been trying for years to get a show there. The show went well was well received.

























I then started working again in the time I had, I was doing art, I was rebuilding a 1920's gas station into a home and studio, I was working and I once again found myself in the arms of yet another great woman, whom again it didnt work out but I consider still a great person a great friend and someone who helped shape me and my art. (man the more I try and write this story the more I realize my life sounds so typical artist LOL love, moving heart break, tough times shows, great times LOL) anyway I also became a full member and therefore co-owner in an art Gallery. A gallery with a great group of artist that I admire and some of who had actually been my influence and teachers in under grad the Collective Art Gallery.





This was great I had a few shows helped to market and work the gallery, my work was flying, getting that voice. It was very well received I had a few interviews, articles about me, places asking to have me show and me demanding and starting to really lose hours and love art again. I had what I consider my best show to date. My Solo show at the collective.















































Then another change in my life BAM I lose my job of the past 6 years a job that while not a huge monetary find, but something I loved and also very much allowed me the tito do my art. Crap now what. So I go on the job hunt I am in the final stages of taking a job with he Sheriffs Dept to become a 9-5er and set my life in stone for 20+ years and I get an offer an offer I cant refuse to again chase my dreams and work at a passion I love So Off to Phoenix I go and thats where I am today. I have not done or made the time to do much art yet But I know I will as I still very much have a love and passion for it but must find it come to it in my own time. I have done one real work since being elected Arizona's representative to a world wide art project at LandFillart.org, and at this date also have a work at my undergrad I sent back for an Honored alumni show.





















Thats that as of June 2009. Please take a look at my art website http://www.philstevens.com to see more of my work and much more then just the paintings. My drawing sculpture etc that I have also done over the years and will continue to explore.