Art is part of me…
I’m so fulfilled when I create!
Steven Stanley Artist Statement
Hi, I’m Steven Stanley, a painter based in the beautiful city of Bendigo, Australia, where I work from my home studio (usually surrounded by coffee cups, brushes, and the occasional burst of inspiration).
I’m 41 years old and have been a professional, self-representing artist for the past five years. My journey into painting hasn’t been a straight line, more like a colourful, messy path with a few splatters along the way. Like many artists, I’ve spent a lot of time asking, “Who am I as an artist?” The answer changes, but I’ve learned to embrace that.
I’ve always been drawn to nature and landscapes, but portraiture is where my heart really comes alive. There’s something about capturing human emotion on canvas that keeps me coming back. I love creating work that feels romantic, raw, and energetic, not overly polished, but relatable. I want my paintings to feel like a conversation with the viewer, one that invites reflection or shifts perspective, even just a little.
My work explores themes of colour, beauty, and emotion. I use a mix of materials, inks, acrylics, oils, pastels and glazing. I often layer in flowers, birds, and expressive female forms as a nod to nature and the inner world. My style is intuitive and emotive, more about feeling than perfection.
Ultimately, I paint to connect with myself, with others and with something bigger than all of us. If a piece happens to make someone smile, feel seen, or tilt their head and say, “I don’t know why, but I love this,” then I feel like I’ve done my job.
Steven Stanley Artist Bio
Creativity has always been part of who I am.
Back in high school, I naturally gravitated toward creative subjects — art, graphic design, photography and drama. I was always drawn to the excitement of creating, expressing ideas visually and seeing the world differently through art.
But after leaving school, life pulled me in another direction. Like a lot of people in their late teens and early twenties, I was more focused on having a good time than building a creative career. Deep down, I didn’t truly believe being an artist was a realistic path, so I let that dream drift away.
For years, I moved through different jobs and industries trying to find something that felt right, but nothing fully connected.
Then everything changed.
Around ten years later, I met someone who helped me realise I had abandoned something important — my creative ambitions. I had convinced myself that making a living through art was too difficult, and in doing so, I stopped believing in myself. That realisation became a major turning point in my life.
With the support of my family and friends, and a growing sense of urgency to pursue something meaningful, I studied graphic design and eventually landed a great creative role in Melbourne, Victoria.
Not long after, that someone became my wife, and together we made a life-changing decision to move from the city to Bendigo, Victoria.
Soon after arriving in Bendigo, my wife connected me with a local art teacher, Joybells Tatt, who was looking for students. I began classes the following week and ended up studying with her for five incredible years. Those years helped shape not only my technical skills, but also my confidence and identity as an artist.
When we found out we were expecting our first child, I stepped away from formal lessons and transformed my garage into a studio, a space where I could fully commit to developing my own artistic voice.
Today, my work is deeply connected to expression, emotion, growth and the ongoing process of becoming. Art, for me, has never just been about creating images, it has been about rediscovering who I am.
So I’ll leave you with this question:
Is there something in your life you’ve always wanted to pursue, but convinced yourself you couldn’t?
To my mum, my wife and my friends,thank you for your unconditional support. I’ll always be grateful.
“If I could say it in words there would be no reason to paint.”
Edward Hopper