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W. Lackey Stephens interest in art began in the early 1970's. He began with charcoal drawings of still life, landscapes and wildlife. As his skills improved and his interest increased, he found greater satisfaction in oil pastels where color relationship rather than dealing only with value became another factor in the quality of his work. In the late 1970's, he put aside his art hobby as the demands of his professional career increased. Stephens dusted off his art supplies in 1995 and began his study in oils. A gifted artist, his work reflects traditional realism in the chiaroscuro manner. He is known for his versatility of subject matter ranging from still life, florals, portraits, landscapes, to wildlife. Stephens acquired his artistic skills from extensive study and application of methods and techniques of the sixteenth century Dutch and Flemish artists. Although not formally trained, Stephens has had the opportunity to paint with nationally known painters David Leffel and Greg Kreutz. Both Leffel and Kreutz are well known at the Art Students League in New York as instructors. Stephens feels his best training comes from painting as often as possible and being critiqued by those with much greater skills. "Identifying the difference between a good painting and another is one of the struggles of becoming better at describing what you see in a 'painterly' fashion. A precise description of a still life will fail to pull the viewer into the work", Stephens believes. He attempts to solve this problem by leaving some mystery in his paintings so the viewer can determine its connection to the overall structure of the painting. Stephens' chiaroscuro style of painting allows the light in his paintings to flow and take the eye from one object to another with shadow controlling the total structure. Many of his works are of a tipped plane where objects go into the painting giving depth to the subjects portrayed. Stephens says, "I attempt to treat light in a way that slowly builds in intensity as the eye travels across the canvas and peaks at the focal point and then slowly diffuses yet holding the eye on the canvas with an after statement. I treat each painting as the beginning of the best I can produce using my previous works as steps to rendering a new painting with more integrity and excitment". In the latter part of 1998, Stephens moved his studio from his Tuscaloosa home to his new gallery in Historic Downtown Northport, Alabama. A renovation in late 2009 added a large space for classes and demonstrations.
Stephens Studio and Gallery is
considered a premier attraction in the Northport area, drawing visitors into the warm home-like atmosphere for a special opportunity to view fine art of the highest quality. |
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copyright © 1999-2010 Stephens Studio and Gallery. All rights reserved by the artist. |
