Artist Statement

The most self fulfilling thing I can do is fulfill others. The most self serving thing I can do is be selfless. It is with this belief that the creation of my art unfolds. Doing for others is a passion. Now with years of artistic life behind me, perhaps there is an even greater desire to be able to reach out to more than just those who become my patrons.

I want my art to touch emotions, evoke feelings, inspire or move you the viewer. I believe, just as sounds such as music can remind us of past experiences, so to colors affect our spirit. When colors work together in harmony, they become to our eyes what music is to our ears. Images are like the melody. To use color and sometimes images to accomplish this is my goal.

At times I attempt to put a psychological component in my art. You will see groups of colors contrasted with other colors that allow the mind to recall things or feelings. In other works you will see image within image or multiples of images. It may require that a shift your mind makes to see one then the other.

Other times I use an emotional component. Images that remind us of feelings. A kiss, an embrace. Mental pictures of past memories that we store like a precious art print protected in the drawers of our mind. They are pulled out from time to time to view only by us, and then returned to safe keeping. My hope is you can imprint that memory in my art and enjoy it every day.

What ever you may see, what feelings they may free, some good and strong, even sad and long, to touch your soul is for me, hope of what my art could be.

Jonathan Steele Bio Living on my own since age 15, my life has taken me from being a machinist, tool and die maker re-designing and engineering parts for printing presses, a general contractor, a stone masonry contractor specializing in dry stone walls and fences to being a non-degreed engineer and finally a registered nurse.

My career as an artist started at the desk of Ken Ernest of the Mary Worth Cartoon. He mentored me with my first cartoon character named Melvin TM. I soon left cartooning to explore sand carved and etched glass in the late 70's. Commissions came in from across the states and later internationally. One highlight, a commission for a restaurant featuring numerous panels of etched and sand carved glass that came through Denver, Colorado designer Jane Gates. It won a national interior designers award. Being juried into the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit in NYC was memorable too. That show allowed me to meet in person many of the artist who's works I grew up admiring.

My art training is from observation and fellow artist through the years who worked with and encouraged me. School was not an option I could afford. Observation and help from fellow artists and my patrons continues to be the method of my continued growth and development.

My career was put on slow to pursue my life's list of things to do. Included on that list was becoming a nurse. My specialties were Bariatric and Bloodless or Advance Transfusion Practice nursing. My wife gets a hoot from people referring to me as a male nurse. She will quickly retort, "I'm sure glad he's not a female nurse." The gender confusion related to this job, although frustrating many, has been around for some time. In the Bible, Numbers 11:12 literally translates the expression, "male nurse." Its a profession documented as being over 3000 years old.

It is perhaps my education in the University of Life Experience with a major in caring for people and a minor in a love for learning diverse things that molded and in some instances hammered me into the person behind the art you see. It is perhaps the love of people that is my biggest influence.

Although regularly producing pieces through the years, I returned to being a self supporting, almost full time artist as of February of 2005. This will be my 28th year in the arts. It is only possible because of the many patrons who support the arts and especially those who invested in my works.

Artist Highlights

• ArtWanted.com Gallery:    Art/Drawing Misc.