Copyright 2019 by Gary L. Pullman
Note: Bruce Stepan is the creator of all the works of art shown in this blog post; each is under copyright protection and cannot be reproduced without his express written permission.
Annunciation. Copyright by Bruce Stepan. All rights reserved. (Click the image to enlarge it; click again to return to the post.)
It's my pleasure to
introduce the artwork of Bruce Stepan. As his website, Stepan
Studios,
observes, his paintings and illustrations reflect “poignant
storytelling” and “surreal artistry.”
His
surreal oeuvre
includes “a comical mix of weird paintings, pop art, scary
paintings . . . creepy paintings, fine arts [sic],
and art ideas.”
Educated
in the arts (Stepan has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in general art
studio practices and a Master of Fine Arts degree in painting), he is
also an art educator, having taught studio courses at Youngstown
State University and Michigan State University. Currently, his
emphases are on comics and illustrations.
Communion. Copyright by Bruce Stepan. All rights reserved. (Click the image to enlarge it; click again to return to the post.)
His
website features copies of several of his paintings and illustrations
(there's also a link to his fabulous blog).
The paintings are colorful, vibrant, and either comical or
unsettling—sometimes both at once. The drawings, executed in
graphite on a variety of surfaces, are unique, detailed, intriguing,
fun, and sophisticated.
I
have always appreciated surreal art. A favorite among the painters
whose work I admire is Renee Magritte, but I also enjoy both popular
surrealism and so-called lowbrow art, including paintings by Marion
Peck, Mark Ryden, Michael Parks, Nicoletta Ceccoli, Tetsuya Ishida,
and many others. Now, I am pleased to add another name to this
illustrious roster, that of Bruce Stepan.
Graveyard. Copyright by Bruce Stepan. All rights reserved. (Click the image to enlarge it; click again to return to the post.)
One
of the things I like most about Stepan's art, some of which is
inspired by one of the most celebrated authors of horror fiction, is
its allusive, metaphorical, and symbolic character. Another is the
multivalent potential each painting or drawing offers for
interpretation, speculation, and inspiration. One of his works, Dark
Shadows, is,
as his website declares, a “space . . . filled to the brim with
hidden meaning,” which invites each viewer to “search out the
objects” in the room the painting depicts “and piece together”
his or her “own narrative.”
One
of the features of his website is a magnifier associated with the
cursor function. By hovering over a painting or drawing, one can
focus on each part of the work, discovering its rich detail and a lot
more surprises than might otherwise meet the eye. It's almost as if
each work contains a series of interlocking pieces that, together,
form a seamless, coherent whole. His artwork is not only
aesthetically pleasing, but also a puzzler's delight!
Here
are a couple more of the other works currently exhibited on Stepan's website:
Dark Shadows. Copyright by Bruce Stepan. All rights reserved.
(Click the image to enlarge it; click again to return to the post.)
(Click the image to enlarge it; click again to return to the post.)
Trick or Treat. Copyright by Bruce Stepan. All rights reserved. (Click the image to enlarge it; click again to return to the post.)
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