Features
art & design
S-T-E-P-H
Reduction To Basics
"We have built a fun mini ramp together since, so I just go for a skate while my paintings dry off, which is the best inspiration I can think of." S-T-E-P-H
Imagine scraping all your money together during a global financial
downturn and leaving life behind, as you know it. Sound like a foolish
idea? Not for some. We spoke to German creative talent s-t-e-p-h, who
chose Australia as an inspirational destination for his Keep-Me-Alive art trip.
How would you describe what you do?
I try to combine everything that really matters to me, which is drawing, painting, skateboarding and traveling, in a way that allows me to gain new experiences and reflect them within my artwork.
Tell us about your background and how you got into art?
I would say that my background as a skateboarder drew me to illustration and art. Since I can remember, the unique board & t-shirt graphics created in skateboarding have fuelled my creativity. I started trying out graphics myself, reading any book or magazine on art and design I could find. I enrolled in a graphic design degree at university taking art history lessons, whilst learning analog and digital techniques in print, design and animation at the same time. However, analog techniques and handmade illustration or design fascinated me most, which made me want to expand my own drawing skills and develop a personal style based on analog techniques. Once I had found my visual language, I then tried to include things that were happening around me and to communicate them in my artwork.
Currently you are travelling Australia on your Keep-Me-Alive trip. Sounds like an inspirational experience. Where did you find the idea for such a tour?
At university I learned that even artists in the past left their familiar environments to find ideas while traveling. Having spent all of my life in a rather rural area of southwest Germany, I felt like exploring and broadening my horizon in traveling the world. In our present globally networked world, I would easily be able to find inspiration from home, but I decided to pack my rucksack and try my luck down under.
You visited plenty of exhibitions, art studios and met a lot of Australian artists throughout your trip. Could you tell us about your encounters and how the art scene received you down under?
Yeah, I've a lot of artists and creative people along the way, emerging talents, and internationally acclaimed illustrators and designers. The reception over here has just been amazing. I didn’t know anyone before coming over here, as this is my first time in Australia. However, everyone has been really supportive. I got invited into a bunch of studios all over Australia, such as Beastman’s creative space and World End Studios in Sydney, and met the people that run Gorker Gallery in Melbourne and Nine Lives Gallery in Brisbane. I was introduced to artists’ families and friends and got taken out to a lot of skate parks. After having lived in Sydney for three months, I got invited to work in So’n So Studio in Byron Bay, where I have been working for the past month now. We have built a fun mini ramp together since, so I just go for a skate while my paintings dry off, which is the best inspiration I can think of.
I would say that all the people I met while traveling over here are the most important experience for me. These creative encounters taught me a lot about being and surviving as an artist and help to keep my art real and alive.
How have you encountered your meetings with Australian artists?
It has been an inspiring experience. Sharing my knowledge/experiences and the mutual interest in art with artists here has encouraged me to keep putting out work. I would say that it has been a shared learning experience; you exchange knowledge and push each other forward. I have found a lot of encouragement for my work over here, and have learned that it is possible to actually make a living from what you are passionate about. You just have to keep on doing and believing in it!
You also did a bunch of new projects and some of your work is going to be exhibited around Australia. How did you start your art in Australia?
I have been reading art magazines for years and have been networking with artists through online portals. I decided to drop a few lines about my trip to Australian illustrators I really admire and went out to a lot of exhibition openings and started talking to people. I got invited into their studios and we took it from there. If I’ve learned one thing, then it is to go out there and personally meet people that inspire you, which can lead to new opportunities opening up for you.
Where did you find places or studios to work on your projects?
I worked in so many different surroundings. Sometimes I was lucky to draw at a beautiful beach or on a picnic table in a national park. I traveled the Australian East Coast for a couple of months in a campervan, so I worked in all positions thinkable, in, on top and under the car. If I couldn’t work on a large piece, I drew a lot of sketches in my scrapbooks or worked on some new concepts and ideas. Whenever I had the space to work in larger format, I took the chance and did it. Luckily, some of the people I met shared their art studios with me for a while and helped me out a great deal.
Let’s talk a bit about your artwork. Currently your work seems to be solely in black and white...
I started to practice my drawing techniques with graphite pens over the years. But aesthetically I was never perfectly happy with the results. I realized I couldn’t achieve contrast and as dark a shades as I wanted. So I tried to work with black ink and black marker. Yeah, it is a reduction to the basics currently. Just black and white. I wanted to achieve patterns, structure and depths in my paintings without the use of colour.
How did your patterns, themes and characters evolve?
The creatures in my paintings evolve straight out of my head. They crawl out of my nose and drip onto paper…. and then they are accomplished with a variety of patterns and icons that keep reoccurring in my work. I try to communicate a story in each of my paintings, but it is up to the viewer to come up with their own interpretation to make of it what they want.
What are your plans for the future? Where would you like to see yourself in 5 years?
More drawing, paintings and skating. I am also excited about some new work and my upcoming shows here in Australia. I am having my first Australian solo exhibition on November 14th at So’n’ So Studio in Byron Bay. Check out my website for information about further upcoming shows. In five years?… I hope I’ll be doing an art tour on the moon. That would be sick! ART on the MOON.
For more on S-T-E-P-H's projects and his Keep-Me-Alive art experience make sure you visit s-t-e-p-h.com
Back
I try to combine everything that really matters to me, which is drawing, painting, skateboarding and traveling, in a way that allows me to gain new experiences and reflect them within my artwork.
Tell us about your background and how you got into art?
I would say that my background as a skateboarder drew me to illustration and art. Since I can remember, the unique board & t-shirt graphics created in skateboarding have fuelled my creativity. I started trying out graphics myself, reading any book or magazine on art and design I could find. I enrolled in a graphic design degree at university taking art history lessons, whilst learning analog and digital techniques in print, design and animation at the same time. However, analog techniques and handmade illustration or design fascinated me most, which made me want to expand my own drawing skills and develop a personal style based on analog techniques. Once I had found my visual language, I then tried to include things that were happening around me and to communicate them in my artwork.
Currently you are travelling Australia on your Keep-Me-Alive trip. Sounds like an inspirational experience. Where did you find the idea for such a tour?
At university I learned that even artists in the past left their familiar environments to find ideas while traveling. Having spent all of my life in a rather rural area of southwest Germany, I felt like exploring and broadening my horizon in traveling the world. In our present globally networked world, I would easily be able to find inspiration from home, but I decided to pack my rucksack and try my luck down under.
You visited plenty of exhibitions, art studios and met a lot of Australian artists throughout your trip. Could you tell us about your encounters and how the art scene received you down under?
Yeah, I've a lot of artists and creative people along the way, emerging talents, and internationally acclaimed illustrators and designers. The reception over here has just been amazing. I didn’t know anyone before coming over here, as this is my first time in Australia. However, everyone has been really supportive. I got invited into a bunch of studios all over Australia, such as Beastman’s creative space and World End Studios in Sydney, and met the people that run Gorker Gallery in Melbourne and Nine Lives Gallery in Brisbane. I was introduced to artists’ families and friends and got taken out to a lot of skate parks. After having lived in Sydney for three months, I got invited to work in So’n So Studio in Byron Bay, where I have been working for the past month now. We have built a fun mini ramp together since, so I just go for a skate while my paintings dry off, which is the best inspiration I can think of.
I would say that all the people I met while traveling over here are the most important experience for me. These creative encounters taught me a lot about being and surviving as an artist and help to keep my art real and alive.
How have you encountered your meetings with Australian artists?
It has been an inspiring experience. Sharing my knowledge/experiences and the mutual interest in art with artists here has encouraged me to keep putting out work. I would say that it has been a shared learning experience; you exchange knowledge and push each other forward. I have found a lot of encouragement for my work over here, and have learned that it is possible to actually make a living from what you are passionate about. You just have to keep on doing and believing in it!
You also did a bunch of new projects and some of your work is going to be exhibited around Australia. How did you start your art in Australia?
I have been reading art magazines for years and have been networking with artists through online portals. I decided to drop a few lines about my trip to Australian illustrators I really admire and went out to a lot of exhibition openings and started talking to people. I got invited into their studios and we took it from there. If I’ve learned one thing, then it is to go out there and personally meet people that inspire you, which can lead to new opportunities opening up for you.
Where did you find places or studios to work on your projects?
I worked in so many different surroundings. Sometimes I was lucky to draw at a beautiful beach or on a picnic table in a national park. I traveled the Australian East Coast for a couple of months in a campervan, so I worked in all positions thinkable, in, on top and under the car. If I couldn’t work on a large piece, I drew a lot of sketches in my scrapbooks or worked on some new concepts and ideas. Whenever I had the space to work in larger format, I took the chance and did it. Luckily, some of the people I met shared their art studios with me for a while and helped me out a great deal.
Let’s talk a bit about your artwork. Currently your work seems to be solely in black and white...
I started to practice my drawing techniques with graphite pens over the years. But aesthetically I was never perfectly happy with the results. I realized I couldn’t achieve contrast and as dark a shades as I wanted. So I tried to work with black ink and black marker. Yeah, it is a reduction to the basics currently. Just black and white. I wanted to achieve patterns, structure and depths in my paintings without the use of colour.
How did your patterns, themes and characters evolve?
The creatures in my paintings evolve straight out of my head. They crawl out of my nose and drip onto paper…. and then they are accomplished with a variety of patterns and icons that keep reoccurring in my work. I try to communicate a story in each of my paintings, but it is up to the viewer to come up with their own interpretation to make of it what they want.
What are your plans for the future? Where would you like to see yourself in 5 years?
More drawing, paintings and skating. I am also excited about some new work and my upcoming shows here in Australia. I am having my first Australian solo exhibition on November 14th at So’n’ So Studio in Byron Bay. Check out my website for information about further upcoming shows. In five years?… I hope I’ll be doing an art tour on the moon. That would be sick! ART on the MOON.
For more on S-T-E-P-H's projects and his Keep-Me-Alive art experience make sure you visit s-t-e-p-h.com
Back
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