S T E V E N J A N S S E N
Interview by Ken Waller
KW: Can you tell us about your journey as an artist? How did you get started
SJ: It all began at the age of 4 when I received my first watercolor set (with the plastic brush) and I became fascinated with color. As I moved into high school, I took every art class there was to offer and worked in pastels, creating portraits of movie stars and musicians. When I entered Cal State Long Beach, I took life painting and drawing as my main focus. After college I developed a style that was unique and recognizable, abstracting the human form into sensual compositions. After a few years passed, I dabbled with new ideas and was always so difficult to get my work into galleries, but I kept at it. After many rejections, I decided to take the art world into my own hands and created one-night art exhibits with a few artist friends in different rented locations in L.A, mostly photo studios and even my own home which we called “Arthouse” We developed a steady stream of collectors and celebrity clientele.
KW: What mediums do you primarily work with, and why do you favor them?
SJ: I work in acrylic paint using a lot of water, so its a wash. 50% paint, 50% water, translucent and easy to layer. I prefer acrylic over oil because of the difference in drying time.
KW: How has your style evolved over the years?
SJ: It has changed dramatically. I began using the human figure as my go to, now I have chosen to work in the complete abstract and non-objective, creating ethereal scapes that developed when I moved to Palm Springs. The calm and scarcity of the desert was a huge influence in what direction I wanted my work to go in.
KW: Have there been any significant turning points in your career that you would like to share?
SJ: One of them was when I was hired by Chelsea Handler to create a huge piece (5 panels) for her entry way when she lived in Marina Del Rey. It was very exciting and nerve-racking to install, but the outcome was beautiful.
KW: Where do you draw your inspiration from, and how does the Palm Springs landscape influence your work?
SJ: As I mentioned before, moving from L.A. to Palm Springs, freed me from any constraints I was feeling with my earlier work which was tighter and more controlled. The desert was like a breath of fresh air, where everything seems less important, quieter, which gave me the freedom to let those elements reflect in my work and steered me in a direction where I was more relaxed, confident and focused.
KW: Are there specific themes or messages you aim to convey through your art?
SJ: I’m not one for any hidden messages in my work or any dramatic childhood trauma that I need to express. I’ve always used beauty as the foundation for my work. I love beautiful things, beautiful people, beautiful places. I see beauty in most things that are not usually considered beautiful. With all of the craziness in the world today, I want viewers to escape into my work and discover the beauty within, and let everything else go.
KW: Who are some of your artistic influences, and how have they shaped your work?
SJ: My mentors have to be the Masters: Pollock, Kandinsky, Mondrian, Rothko sand Miro. All who have influenced my work in one way or another.
KW: How do local culture and community play a role in your creative process?
SJ: Being a gay artist, Palm Springs has to be the perfect place to be. We are a very tight LGBTQ community where we all support each other artistically and emotionally, which is inspiring to create new and exciting work that the entire community can enjoy. Palm Springs is dominated by a very large queer artist population and continues to grow exponentially.
KW: What motivated you to open a gallery in Palm Springs?
SJ: Palm Springs is a big tourist destination with a constant in-flux of people from all over the world now. Travelers can enjoy taking a piece of Palm Springs back with them. Also the rents are cheaper than in L.A.
KW: What do you hope to achieve by showcasing the work of other artists alongside your own?
SJ: I have always been a fan of supporting other artists, and showcasing their work. I also thrive when I get to curate a group show at the gallery. Most of our shows consist of 10-15 artists at a time, and telling a story with all of the varieties brings me joy and creative satisfaction. Its like a puzzle, combining many different styles of work to create one cohesive show which can be challenging yes, but to make it successful and pleasing to the eye is even better.
KW: How do you select the artists and pieces that will be featured in your gallery?
SJ: Artists usually come to me. I receive a ton of submissions weekly. If their work fits in with the aesthetic of the gallery, then I decide what the next step is for them.
KW: In what ways do you think your gallery contributes to the local art scene in Palm Springs?
SJ: I am considered one of the OG’s here in PS, running 9 years strong as of next March and this my second location. My first opened down the street in 2006 and was forced to close in 2009 due to the great recession. The art scene is constantly growing here and I like to think of me as paving the way for an artist who is just starting out, much like myself back in the day. Gallery owners and artists all support each other here, there is no competitive blood here in the desert, we are one big happy family and if I can contribute to that, then I am satisfied. I love to provide the desert with unique art experiences with each show, exhibits that people will go home and talk about, hopefully developing a lasting impression. I create monthly exhibitions when it is Season and I close in the Summer.
KW: What challenges have you faced in establishing the gallery, and how have you overcome them?
To learn more about the Steven follow @janssenartspace