Steve was born in Lewiston, Maine in 1957 and raised in Livermore Falls, Maine. He moved to California in 1984 and received basic Art training at the San Francisco School of Art. He also has trained extensively with the nationally known plein-air painter Armand Cabrera. His other major influences are Maynard Dixon and Edward Hopper. Steven now resides in Kelseyville California overlooking beautiful Clearlake. "Aesthetically, I believe that art should impact the viewer and stir an inner feeling or memory. If I have evoked that emotion then my painting is successful".
 "When I first became interested in plein-air painters, I admired artists from the "Society of Six" as in Selden Gile, William Clapp, Louis Siegrist to mention a few. They were early California Impressionists and I became attracted to their outlook and lifestyle. They were painters that went out together and painted alla prima and seemed interested in truly capturing the emotional elements of a scene. I think I modeled myself after these people. Many plein-air artists these days will bring a piece back to the studio to finish up, but I feel the emotional bond has been lost once you leave the scene so I paint from start to finish in one sitting in the true pure plein-air tradition. I will often paint in the studio by photo but even then I will paint from start to finish in the plein-air tradition. For me, I feel that if I do not have an emotional reaction to a scene then how can I expect a viewer to have an emotional reaction to what I have painted

San Francisco School of Art, San Francisco CA.
Plein Air Workshops: 
Tom Soltesz - Jun 2001
Randall Sexton - Apr 2002, May 2003, Jun 2003
Armand Cabrera - June 2002, Feb 2003, Aug 2004, Weekly Workshops Jan-Mar 2004
Jeannette LeGrue - Jul 2003 
Armand Cabrera - July 2005 - Bar Harbor Maine

Feb, 07- Fairfield Visual Arts Assoc 44th Annual Juried Competition -  Merit Award Winner 
Jun, 03- "OF THE EARTH" Juried Show Indian Valley Artists Gallery, Novato, CA  

Jun, 02- American Canyon "11th Annual Arts Extravaganza 2002" Second Place winner

ONGOING WEEKLY SHOWS WITH SAN FRANCISCO ARTISTS GUILD-SAN FRANCISCO
2007-Fairfield Visual Arts Assoc 44th Annual Juried Competition- Merit Award Winner
2006-Plaza Arts, Healdsburg, CA
2006-Rodman Slough Exhibition to Benefit Lake County Land Trust - Lakeport CA
2005-Calistoga Art In The Park - Calistoga CA
2005-The Naked Vine Show - St. Supery Winery, St. Helena CA
2004-Art In The Garden- Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens
2004-Home Winemakers Festival - Kelseyville, CA
2004-Calistoga Art In The Park - Calistoga CA
2004-Second Annual Landscape Show- Tangerine Gallery,  Ukiah CA
2003-Solo Show-First Christian Church - Vallejo CA
2003-Evening In The Valley- Wooden Valley Winery, Fairfield CA
2003-Nash Gallery Sponsored Valona Paint-Out- Crockett, CA
2003-"OF THE EARTH" Juried SHow Indian Valley Artists Gallery
2003-"Outside" 3-person show Fetteryly Gallery, Vallejo CA
2003-Vallejo Community Arts Foundation Show "Spring Ahead" -Vallejo CA
2003-"Vallejo Visits Vacaville" -Vacaville Art Gallery, Vacaville CA
2003-"The Art Of A Community" - Benicia CA
2003-Flyway Festival Art Exhibit, Mare Island CA
2002-Vallejo Artists Guild Invitational, Fetterly Gallery, Vallejo CA
2002-American Canyon "11th Annual Arts Extravaganza 2002"
2002-Offices of State Senator Wes Chesbro- One Man Exhibit
2002-Fetterly Gallery "In The Open Air"  Vallejo CA
2001-"Meet The Makers" Juried Show Benicia CA
2000-Charles Schwab Corporate Offices "One Man Show