Steven Lucas
Monterey Peninsula's Expressionist Painter
Approximately 70 artists will take the surface foundation of a utilitarian sporting tool (the deck of a skateboard) and transform them into rad pieces of art – honoring the vehicle itself and the sub-culture that uses the vehicle. At the end of the exhibition, all of the skateboard decks will be auctioned to benefit both the National Steinbeck Center and Dorothy’s Place.
©2007-2009 Steven Lucas. All rights reserved.
2009
Pumpkin Patch
The pumkin patch represents a place where hard work pays off. It is a place of plenty. The harvest. One looks forward to going there. Songs are sung and stories are told at the pumpkin patch. For me it represents great times with high school friends from Young Life.
Morning Glories
I love morning glories. Every time I see them they make me smile. There is a quiet celebration of life about them. They are eye-music. They are part of God's creative orchestra. My mother often gardened when I was a child and this painting reminds me of those simpler times. Long days in the yard being exposed to all kinds of color.
Pedestrian Zone, Kassel, Germany
A friend recently asked me to paint this landmark. I was immediately attracted to the idea of painting those swirly lamp posts and started to work on the piece.
2008
Leopard Shark:
26" x 42" Canvas. Can a leopard shark lose its spots? The answer is yes. Sometimes leopardsharks live in the deep ocean where there is limited light. When at depth for a long time they begin to lose their spots. For a shark to swim it has to work really hard. Sharks do not have a swim bladder like fish. This painting represents a leopardshark that swims from deep ocean to the upper water column.
Orange Rockfish:
24" x 24" Canvas. Rockfish can live to be over 100 years old in certain areas of the ocean. They do not begin to reproduce until they are 20+ years old. Rockfish populations are down because they are overfished before they have a chance to reach reproductive age. Rockfish are often mis-identified and sold as Red Snapper.
Cruising:
26" x 38" Canvas. This painting is a tribute to all of the Classic Car owners who bring their cars to Monterey for Cherry's Jubillee. This is a 1956 Chevy Bel Air.
1946 Ford Coup One day I was walking near the old Stohans Gallery on Cannery Row and saw a couple parking a beautiful 1946 Ford Coup. I asked them if they wouldn't mind if I took a few photos and painted it. They loved the idea and said yes. I was so excited; I went to work in studio right away.
Preparing the Luau:
24" x 24" Canvas. I visited a luau on Oahu, Hawaii years ago and it struck me a bit odd that everyone comes to see the show but the unsung heros of the show are the Hawaiians who prepare the Pork. I thought I would pay tribute to these men. This painting has been on my mind to paint for years. The problem was I did not have as much control of the color wheel to produce what was in my mind...until now. This is my first painting involving human subjects in semi-realism expression. It was extremely hard to paint but it was worth the effort.
McAbee Beach:
16" x 20" Canvas. McAbee Beach is one of my favorite haunts. I love to eat at the nearby restaurants overlooking this beautiful beach on Cannery Row.
2007
Yana's Vinyard:
16" x 20" Canvas. I have a good friend named Yana who emigrated here from St. Petersburg, Russia. She is a wonderful photographer who appreciates my art. I asked her for permission to paint a photo she had taken of hanging grapes. She was excited that I appreciated her work enough to paint one of her photos.
Hopkins Marine Laboratory:
26" x 38" Canvas. Hopkins Marine Laboratory is the place where the idea to start the Monterey Bay Aquarium was hatched. A few marine biologists from Stanford University looked across the water at a delapitated and abandoned Hovden Cannery building extending over the water and began to discuss how the building might be converted to an aquarium. I love the idea that Hopkins Marine Laboratory is a place of ideas.
Xantic Rockfish:
16" x 20" Canvas. Rockfish can live to be over 100 old in certain areas of the ocean. They do not begin to reproduce until they are 20+ years old. Imagine if they are overfished before they have a chance to get to reproductive age? The population of this beautiful fish would drop drastically. That is exactly what has happened. Rockfish are often mis-identified and sold as Red Snapper.
1930 Classic:
16" x 20" Canvas. The classic Alfa Romeo is a pure work of art. I love the design of this masterpiece of a car. I was compelled to paint it.
Bixby Bridge (Circa 1932):
20" x 24" Canvas. To get to this bridge you would need to travel on Highway 1 near the Big Sur coastline. It is a windy road with sheer drop-offs and beautiful seascapes.
26" x 38" Canvas. What you see to the right is a representation of the Big Sur coastline. The red you see on top of the cliff is ice plant in full bloom.
Sea Otter:
20" x 20" Canvas. Otters often rub their cheeks. They are obsessed with grooming themselves. I think it has something to do with the amount of hair they have on their bodies. They have more hair per square inch than any other living animal!
Carmel Mission at Night:
20" x 20" Canvas. The Carmel Mission is a benchmark location for anyone who comes to Carmel. It is beautiful! Many painters paint the mission; however I have yet to see anyone express the mission. This painting is an expression of the mission. I wanted to give it a warm glowing feeling rather than muted flesh tones in which it has been painted in the past. This painting changes depending on the amount of light in the room. I painted it in low light so that it would really have that glowing look even under near dark situations.