Stewart Dempsey:
Discovering oil painting at the midpoint of my life allows me to bring many learned and discovered experiences to my work. Inspiration comes from my travels, from interpersonal relationships, and from the many projects in color, design and fashion I have completed or am currently working on.

My formal training as a Horticulturist certainly contributes greatly to my artwork. My preference for landscapes--and the astonishing variety found within nature--is evident in the works I have produced thus far. Whether a meadow or a mountain landscape, my goal as an artist is to capture the atmosphere of a very particular time and place--and through paint, transform my experience for the viewer. If I can relay only a fraction of the beauty of a moment in nature in a pleasant painting, I have accomplished my goal.

My relationship with painting is complex. It is not always a joy to sit down and paint. I do not paint to earn a living, but it does sometimes feel like work. The true joy of painting comes when mind, body and spirit are aligned. My reward as an artist arises from completion of a painting that I am proud of, and one that others respond to. I am always humbled by those who appreciate my work and wish to own and display something made by my own hands.

Even though I have been painting for only a short period of time, I suppose I have always been an "artist" in some sense of the word. I hope to continue to be inspired and to lay down a legacy of my personal world in brushstrokes and oil paint. As long as the world around me continues to inspire, I will express my feelings and experiences on canvas to share with others.

Last Hours of the Day

Majo Meadow, Cody, WY - 8.5 x 11 inches

View from Red Mountain - 8.5 x 11 inches

Windy Day Door County - 18 x 24 inches