STEVE HANKS

Steve Hanks is one of the famous watercolor artists around the world.

Steve Hanks was born in 1949 in San Diego, California.The family was transferred to New Mexico when he was a junior in high school.

After high school, he attended the Academy of Fine Arts in San Francisco and transferred to the California College of Arts and Crafts, where he graduated with a bachelor of fine arts degree.

(Dean Hanson/Albuquerque Journal)

Steve Hanks experimented with many media – oils, watercolor, pencil, acrylics. But he found his calling in watercolor and became well-known in the world art community.

Steve Hanks called his style “emotional realism” as he often left the faces of his figures obscured or turned away. This was not only to leave the face to the imagination of the viewer, but also to allow the entire figure to express the emotion.

Steve Hanks and Laura Hanks had three children. As the family grew, it provided new inspiration for him. Laura and their children were the subjects of some of his works.

Steve Hanks paintings contains a mystery, and reveals the emotions and stories of the artist who created them. Backlighting was a signature aspect of his works, as Steve Hanks was fascinated by how it filtered through things and would brighten rooms with color.

Steve Hanks considered his style “emotional realism,” and created works that portrayed the smallest of details, such as the patterns on a skirt to the expressive faces of his subjects, whether they were infants, children or adults. He would also obscure the faces of his subjects, instead allowing their setting and body language to convey emotions.

Steve Hanks could master any medium. He created stone lithographs by hand, and was famous for producing fine art with Etch A Sketch toys.

Steve Hanks, passed away in Albuquerque, New Mexico on April 22, 2015 after a battle with cancer.

“I’ve tried to be responsible and put positive images out into the world,” he said. “I hope that my work brings comfort, pleasure and insight into people’s lives.”

“All art is an escape to somewhere you want to be or a feeling you want to have,” Hanks said. “People see different things in my paintings because we all have different backgrounds and feelings.” 

“I want my whole body of work to tell a story when I’m gone,” he said. “It will tell the story of my life emotionally."

Buy Steve Hanks originals: www.stevehanksartwork.com

-Authorized Steve Hanks Gallery. 

Steve Hanks complete collection of amazing watercolors.

Visit Steve Hanks' official personal website www.stevehanks.info