Friday, February 5, 2010

Artist Bio

Sally Stevens

Living Lines Collection:

Intricate lines, vibrant colors and more often than not, a shiny white eyeball make up over 100 different designs in this collection so far. First the eye is drawn and then quickly lines are branched off until the image starts to resemble some kind of animal. After the figure is mapped out, the spaces are filled in with Prismacolor Design Markers. Finally I redo the outline with a Deco- pen whose dark glossy finish enables the colors to really pop. A few whimsical flower scenes and colorful abstracts are also included in the collection, which I have been working on since fall of 2007.

Acrylic Paintings:

I began these paintings in January of 2006 right after the New Year. Bored after the structured life of living at home and going to school, I really didn’t know what else to do with myself once on my own. Although my roots go back to the pencil, I don’t map out the image first. The freedom that the brush gives is an interesting balance to the control that the individual piece naturally takes on. I find myself stuck between these two opposites for hours until the image emerges from the canvas. Most of these works are very colorful, energetic and typically abstract with identifiable objects that tell a story.

Watercolor:

My favorite part of the process is drawing the whole picture out in great detail so that it is more like approaching a paint-by-number. It than takes many hours of layering colors light to dark. The many layers of paint and water are added in a gentle manner that requires a lot of patience and a final vision that is constantly being worked towards. The hardest part about this medium is letting go of the urge to control the piece and skip steps towards completion. When this happens, the piece looks rough, overworked and doesn’t carry the soft attributes that most watercolors are admired for.

Education:

I have always enjoyed art, but never thought it would be something I would take on as a career. However, after several general studies classes at Portland Community College and a term studying Interior Design at the Art Institute of Portland, I have found that nothing satisfies me as much as my life as an artist. I am continuing my education at Portland State University this fall of 2008, and am hoping to acquire my degree in painting and drawing.

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