“ For some reason I tend to use purple in most of my paintings . It soothes me and makes the warm colors glow ,” says Steve . “ We have a great view of the Montana Bitterroot Mountains from our home , and they change every day . Painting landscapes causes me to observe nature , to take note of the details , such as color , shadow , and shapes . Being here and observing God ’ s creation through camping , outdoor activities , seeing wildlife , the scenery , the way water flows in a stream , reflects its surroundings , how the sun rises and sets , and how the light changes — it all influences my view and births ideas , emotions , and expressions that form from my heart .”
When speaking with Steve , you feel this inner warmth and peace . He has a sparkle in his eye and a way of putting everyone at ease . His work emotes the exact same thing . Whether he is working with brushes and acrylic paint or palette knives and oils , he can accomplish that “ feeling .” My own father used to have a saying , “ What ’ s in the well , comes up in the bucket .” I would say this honestly applies to Steve . What ’ s in his well , comes through his fingers . The purity of his well is evident in the purity of his work . Steve achieves an inner glow on the canvas that is nothing short of breathtaking . Or , he imparts a quiet , still mood that is a little darker , but none the less powerful .
Like his faith , sometimes Steve realizes you must approach painting like a child . “ I have to let the paint fly and make it fun and see what happens . It ’ s like being a kid again and not worrying if I make a mistake or worrying if it will sell or not . After all it is just paint on a stick ,” he quips . This reminder has helped him tap into educating young students . As his three boys were going into grade school , some of their teachers asked if he ’ d be interested in helping the kids learn art . “ I ’ m not a teacher with words ,” Steve confesses , “ but I could show them how and explain as I demonstrated for them .” And so it began . Steve painted and they followed along on their own canvases , much like the way he had learned .
Steve ended up teaching in several schools in the Bitterroot Valley for years , eventually cutting back to just third grade classes . “ They were so willing to try and they weren ’ t self-conscious like the older kids . I thought catching them
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