Steve Atkinson
"I strive to create images that evoke an emotional response from the viewer. If people feel the chill of the early morning light in a plain air landscape or the weariness of a woman's glance caught in a charcoal sketch, then I've succeeded." - Steve Atkinson
Steve didn't start oil painting until 2002, however, he's been an illustrator for more years than he cares to remember. Steve says, "I love doing illustration and it pays the bills, but painting feeds my soul." His training as an illustrator has given him a solid foundation for his art. The same thing that goes into a successful illustration, goes into a successful painting. But for Steve, something was missing. "Painting has opened up a whole new world to me. Now I'm able to make pictures of the things that matter to me. I'm not interested in painting the trendy or the shocking, it's purely about what moves me as an artist and a human being. Hopefully, it's the same thing that moves all of us who are in this human experience we call Life." He finds he is as comfortable painting the figure as the landscape. For him it's all about the story and emotion behind the painting. To Steve, the pursuit of excellence, is, in itself, exciting. Growth as a Person, and as an Artist, is the ultimate goal. His paintings are a thrilling byproduct of that goal.
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Swimmin' Hole
Morning on Lovers Lane
Foggy Day on Foggy Bottom Creek