Steve Hanks: scenes from American life

Mom with a baby in her arms, a kid doing her first guitar playing, father and son coming back to the ranch, a pensive girl at the window ... These are the stories of Steve Hanks' paintings. Simple, everyday and at the same time bewitching.

Biography

American artist Steve Hanks was born in the family of a veteran in San Diego, in 1949. However, the son did not follow in the footsteps of his father, naval aviator, owner of orders and medals. He grew up an ordinary boy, enjoying the proximity of the ocean: he sailed, surfed, played mobile games on the sand.

When Hanks was a high school student, the family moved to New Mexico. There, in the distance he is friends and the ocean, he drowns the pain of parting by drawing. It is here that the future artist enters the Academy of Arts. But soon he showed an unprecedented interest in the image of man, and especially the female body. Then he continues his studies at the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland.

For some time after graduation, Steve Hanks worked as an executive in a girls' camp near New Mexico. His small salary did not bother him. The main thing is that here he had a lot of free time and could experiment in search of his individual creative style.

Having found his first recognition as an artist, Steve married. Today he lives with his wife and three children in Albuquerque, all in the same state of New Mexico.

Creative Quest

Steve Hanks tried himself in different techniques. He drew a pencil, but the pictures turned out to be too realistic, flat. He made attempts to paint oil in the style of impressionism, but after a while, an allergy to paint appeared, and the idea had to be abandoned. Then the artist tried to work in watercolor. Thanks to his experience in working with a pencil and oil, he develops his unique methods of drawing with watercolor. Works painted with these colors look so realistic, as if they were made with oil.

Techniques and Stories

There are artists who express their demons through creativity. Steve Hanks is an artist who brings light and harmony to the world. In his works he adds notes of positive to everyday life. The works are filled with comfort, tenderness, pleasure, and harmony. This is the whole Steve Hanks. The artist's photo, from which he looks at us kind, inspiring faith in the future with a look, once again emphasizes his true essence.

A distinctive feature of Steve's work is a skillful play of light and shadow. To work out the techniques of a clear transfer of the game of sun rays, he began literally from the first watercolor work. The painting "Daisies and Lace" is filled with a romantic atmosphere and calm rays of the luminary. In almost every picture Steve Hanks broadcasts the nuances of lighting. Sunlight is an independent theme in his works. Rays appear everywhere - they seep through things and objects, fill the entire space.

The genre in which the artist creates, he himself calls "emotional realism." He depicts real pictures of our life, as if illustrating a family photo album. Moreover, each work is filled with emotions - not bright and stormy, but soothing. And that's why most of his paintings depict girls, pregnant women, children. After all, this is what saturates the world with emotions, which makes life bright. His works seem to snatch pictures from everyday, everyday life and allow them to look at them from a different angle. To appreciate the present moment, to embrace loved ones, to enjoy life and to thank God for the small but daily happiness that we have, but often do not appreciate - that's what you want to do, looking at the artist's paintings.

Confession

Radiant, life-affirming watercolors have long earned world recognition. Twice winner of the Arts for the Parks Marine Art Award of Excellence, Hanks is one of the most revered artists of the end of the last century. And three years in a row, from 1994 to 1996, he was honored to be the best master in the United States. Steve was awarded the National Society of Watercolorists, and also entered the top five residents of America, elected Hall of Fame of Art. One of the most significant awards for the artist is the gold medal given to him by the National Academy of Western Art. In addition, Steve Hanks just settled in the Top 10 best artists of America. US Art Magazine annually includes it on this honorary list.