Bio

Steven W. Sickles

3747 Watson Road

Indianapolis, Indiana 46205

317-997-9470

  stevenwsickles@aol.com

I was delivered by an Admiral in February on the coast of California which makes me something of an Uber-Aquarian. This biographical point helps  to explain the way I work.

I have many artistic heroes who have greatly influenced the way in which I paint. But artistic influences have also come from my personal experiences and at unanticipated moments in my life. My history began with parents who believed I was capable of great things without really knowing what form these things might take. I had even less idea. If they were hoping for a Louis Pasteur, they never mentioned it.

I benefit from the patience and support of my friends and family. Painting is a compulsion for me. This need is complemented by those whose opinion I respect. They encourage my desire and grant me the time I need to pursue it.

I went to Rhode Island College. There, I met, Krisjohn Horvat, a man who had the technique and talent to back up whatever he lacked in the social graces. His personal aesthetic appealed to me. He mentored, criticized, and pushed me. It was through him that I understood that an artist can be patronized or he can be viewed, critically. The former makes an artist’s work trite and uninspired; the latter can be a painful experience. However,  the ability to listen to others  and to accept their criticism is what has helped my work to mature.

I try to create paintings that are provocative and attract closer inspection. Conceptual Art, although it is of historical interest is often exclusively about the idea . My paintings are more aligned with the abstract expressionists. The painted surface should be as interesting as the concept behind it.

Painting is an intellectual process for me. But I hope what I produce has a spontaneous, natural, and atmospheric character that complements the intellectual process behind it.

To create something that is both visually appealing and intellectually interesting is rewarding and difficult. I don't spend time burying images within the paint, but the textures later suggest images despite my intentions to eschew depicting the natural world. 

Art appreciation is ultimately a matter of taste. I am not offended when someone offers an opinion about my work. I find praise more difficult to accept. I hope my audience will tell me what they truly think or move to another painting that better complements their taste.