FINE ORIGINAL ART
by S. Kirwan

Steve Kirwan was born in Mississippi, but spent most of his childhood in a then-sleepy small town in Maryland amid the intense fall colors of the maples and sycamores. During his teens, he lived in Southern California, and then near Seattle, Washington. Although he formally studied Business Management and Marketing, he pursued his artistic leanings in music and photography, becoming an accomplished portrait photographer. With the advent of digital imaging, Steve became fascinated with the way that images could be altered though digital manipulation. He would shoot close-up photos of ordinary items, and alter their colors, shapes, and textures to create unique works of photo art. In early 2005, Steve began experimenting with ways to render his images in a more organic way, and began using acrylic paints to express the emotions in his digital images.

"Painting was a natural outgrowth, a progression, from what I was doing photographically. Acrylic paint was the natural choice because of the stunning array of colors and textures available. I have a passion for intense color, especially the metallics. You will see a strong emphasis of intense colors in all of my work."

Steve has received much acclaim among his collectors because of the care and effort he places in every painting.

"When I paint, I don't see, hear, smell or feel the world around me. I become the paint, and infuse the image with evry ounce of my soul."

Much of Steve's technique is non-traditional. Brushes are usually his last choice for painting.

"I love painting with natural sea sponges, aluminum foil, painting knives, old rags, and even my fingers. Brushes are great for certain aspects of the painting, but not the first choice. I am not against traditional methods- in fact, I am in awe of artists that paint like the old masters. Its just that to express my ideas, other tools work better for me."

Steve has a philosophical outlook about his art:

"I paint because I love the release. It's the act of creating the piece that allows me to express my deep emotions and creativity. It is extremely gratifying that there are people out there who enjoy my paintings. It is humbling as well- that they chose my work above all others they could have selected. I thank each of you for making the continued pursuit of this passion possible."

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