| Hazel Green, Alabama Wildlife Art
Steven Harmening Website
Steven Harmening grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. At a very early age, Steven's artistic ability was recognized and encouraged by family and teachers.
Creating art comes naturally to Steven, but it was never anything more than a hobby for many years. Steven was awarded an art scholarship to the University of Alabama in Birmingham, but, unfortunately, soon became discouraged by the odds of making a living as an artist. Consequently, at the age of nineteen, Steven set aside his easel and pencils and pursued other avenues of study.
At the age of 26, Steven was presented with a new and life-changing inspiration when he happened upon a book of paintings by world-renowned Wildlife Artist Robert Bateman. He was blown away. After a six-year creative drought, Steven felt an irrepressible urge to pick up a paintbrush.
Wildlife Art is sometimes looked down upon by the Fine Arts Establishment and dismissed as illustration, but Bateman's work lent an immediate validity to what had always been the central subject of Steven's art: animals. Viewing the works of Bateman, an artist doing realistic paintings while employing all the tools of a fine artist and being met with great success, was just the inspiration Steven needed.
First, however, Steven -- a black-and-white artist -- had to learn to paint.
After only about six months of developing his newfound painting skills, a co-worker of his at the Hospital where he works saw one of Steven's pieces. That co-worker was Richard Bruce, who co-incidentally is one of the country's finest Wildlife Sculptors. Richard was insistent that Steven exhibit his work at a local Wildlife Art Show.
With a little help from Richard, he was accepted into the "Southern Wildlife Festival" in Decatur, Alabama. While the show was not profitable, the reactions and comments of visitors and other artists were excitedly encouraging. He was hooked.
Although Steven has come a long way in a short period of time, he still has many goals that he aims to reach, the biggest of which is to be able to dedicate all of his time to his painting.
Steven Harmening
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