Untitled Document

Alchemy of Life Series

These works are a continuing exploration using the scanner as a lens to capture images. Through the process of digital printmaking, common objects become transformed into objects of importance. Stephen’s series borrows from the metaphors of alchemy, taking ordinary personal or mundane items and transforming them into gilded icons. This complex body of work delves further into motivation, aesthetic and process in the digital studio. With advanced knowledge of the input and output devices available to the artist, Stephen has maintained an intuitive use of the creative tools while avoiding the cliches of the filter image.

"Medicine (to each their own)"

36" x 72" pigmented digital print on canvas 2002

"Forgotten Language"

36" x 72" pigmented digital print on canvas 2002

"Excerpts from a Diary"

This body of work originated as relief from the digital process. Challenged to keep the images to a poetic minimum as Haiku would be to writing, these recycling print studio scraps became a daily release of small exercises in balance. Stephen has been creating these excerpts of and on for the last 4 years. There are now over 300 of these excepts.

"Driftwood #1"

20" x 30" pigmented print on canvas

7" x 9" pigmented print on paper

"Driftwood #5"

20" x 30" pigmented print on canvas

7" x 9" pigmented print on paper

"Driftwood #3"

20" x 30" pigmented print on canvas

7" x 9" pigmented print on paper

"Driftwood #7"

20" x 30" pigmented print on canvas

7" x 9" pigmented print on paper

"Artifacts#1 ( Driving the MGA)"

30" x 44" pigmented print on canvas

"Foot Print (The path I walk)"

30" x 44" pigmented print on canvas

"Artifacts #3 (Tonka Truck Christmas, 1960)"

30" x 44" pigmented print on canvas

"Souls and Shoes"

Installation layout of large format prints - each at 20" x 30" printed and stretched on canvas.

"1-11-01"

7"x9" pencil on paper

"2-15-99"

7"x9" pencil on paper

"2-18-99"

7"x9" pencil on paper

Since about 1997 I have been creating work using my scanner as a lens to capture images. I have come to appreciate the artifacts that I get by using this process. Scanning 3 dimensional objects creates unexpected anomalies that can then be used to carve and embellish the surface of the image. While I do use Photoshop to shape the images I want, it is by no means the driving force for these images, only a vehicle to facilitate my ideas.

The driftwood images actually came about after creating vector images and observing that they would never come close to the feel that I was after - I left my studio and went to a local park in West Seattle - there, I sat on the beach and after sunset returned with some interesting pieces of driftwood. While scanning them I realized that the organic input was what I had needed to get beyond the "digital" feel of my subjects. I have progressed to the point of working with toys from my childhood, artifacts from my life, the familiar and intimate souls of shoes and even standing on my scanner to get the source material I then transform.

My intention is not to collage a composition but to capture an object and extract its' soul.

"Artifact #4 (Backyard Heros)"

20" x 30" pigmented print on canvas