“Art is a creation that speaks.” –Steven Homestead

On a recent trip to Berlin with a group of artists, we sketched symbolic portraits for refugees, speaking a message of value and new life.

Whether for my paintings or assemblages made from sticks, concert works or neo-folk performances, light-catching instillations or community projects made with thousands of strips of fabric, I find the definition of art I developed is able to contain and support all art practices and projects. Overall, my work speaks the messge: “you belong” and “you have value.” 

I’m excited about my upcoming projects that integrate these messages into what I say with my art and what it can say to the viewer. One project is a series of photos, sketches, and paintings under the banner Saints and Icons. My embrace of selfie-culture (instead of a reaction against it) is present in this upcoming and ongoing project.

Through my social media campaign built from images of myself with halos, to sketches of friends as saints, and finally in painted portraits done of polarizing public figures (or figures who have fallen from grace), each medium will ultimately ask viewers to consider questions of value and identity. Further the painted portraits will invite dialogue on opposition verses support, blessing verses cursing, tearing down verses building up.

© Steven Homestead. All rights reserved.