This Image: Heading In

Stephen Moscowitz @ Work

"My work is realistic. Most important to me, it tells a story. Some paintings show a clear tale, but most are subtle and work with the viewer."

Stephen Moscowitz creates fine art that tells a story. Stephen’s interest in art began at an early age. After a long career as an illustrator in the fast-paced advertising world, Stephen has embraced a world of incredible beauty and vivid images. His deep respect and love for nature, as well as all of the world’s creatures, is evident the moment he puts brush to canvas.


Tell us about yourself and your background.
I attended the Rochester Institute of Technology where I majored in art and design. After graduation, I worked in the advertising and publication industry for several years; first as art director and later as an illustrator. My career has been strongly influenced by artists such as Maxfield Parrish, NC Wyeth and Norman Rockwell. I seriously love nature and its creatures, both real and imagined.

Coming Home

"I paint from my photos. How I feel when creating a painting?… peaceful and absorbed. Arlene says I am unaware of anything else."

Tell us about your work and style, why is it unique?
My work is realistic. Most important to me, it tells a story. Some paintings show a clear tale, but most are subtle and work with the viewer. I paint with heavy body acrylics, but my works are smooth. I scrumble-brush areas to blend colors and tones. That also keeps the painting smooth. As for uniqueness, not sure that this technique is mine alone.

Describe your process and how you feel when painting.
I need to paint. Painting wildlife requires a camera. I live in an area that supports birds and a variety of habitats. I am constantly observing how they spend their days. When I find a situation to paint, I look for the right photo or try to shoot it. The marshes, woods and open areas are all around, giving me plenty of background views. I start with very rough scribbles, refine them with my reference and create a pencil drawing. The drawing is to the size of my painting. I usually paint a background color and roughly add shapes and some of the details. I then will transfer my drawing to the canvas using a transfer paper (i.e: graphite). Then using reference, feathers, eyes, wing positions, et al, I paint my subject. I generally have 2-3 paintings working at the same time in different stages. This enables me to keep working when I get bored or tired with what I am doing. For my still life paintings, I set up the objects in my studio and light the composition. I paint from my photos. How I feel when creating a painting… peaceful and absorbed. Arlene says I am unaware of anything else.

Marilyn in Red

Great Blue

"As I researched the masters, I found that they would paint all sorts of things to exhibit their skills. I now follow that concept, painting jugs and mugs has truly begun to make even my birds and animals look better."

What are your sources of inspiration?
My eyes mostly, but occasionally a client will be specific about what I should do. In those cases, I rely on using my imagination to visualize what they are suggesting.

Why did you choose your preferred mediums?
When I was doing illustrations there was always a deadline. I had to work quickly. Acrylics dry quickly and I can work over (shading, glazing or fine detail or texture) an area right away. I no longer have the urgent deadlines but have held on to the process.
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I Hop for Breakfast

Intro Image: Peekaboo

"I live in paradise. Every where I look, I see a painting. The area supports myriads of wildlife."

Waterhole

Tomatoes in Ball Jar

"I wonder if the world can afford to buy art. So much is going on all over the planet. Will people be able to focus on art? Artists will hopefully steer the population to a better understanding."

Surfers

Necking

Tell us about some of your notable moments in art.
I consider DESTIG choosing me to have this opportunity an accomplishment. I have paintings hanging all over the
country. For 5 years, I was on the Board of Directors of the non-profit gallery I was a member of for a dozen years. I was recently juried into an elite Art Gallery representing incredibly talented artists. My paintings have won many awards. Mostly local, not notable. I was also hired to teach art at the college I matriculated at.

How have your themes / concepts evolved over time?
I have been painting wildlife for a long time. I have gained a reputation for that. Since moving to the Low Country of South Carolina, painting birds has become my major theme. I have recently decided to add still life painting to my career. As I researched the masters, I found that they would paint all sorts of things to exhibit their skills. They would use a variety of objects with difficult textures like glass and wood, foods, fruits and vegetables and reflective items. I noticed rapid growth in their skills. I now follow that concept, painting jugs and mugs has truly begun to make even my birds and animals look better.

"Truly, my strongest energy is directed to my work. I am fully involved in raising my skills. I am feeling the need to increase my repertoire as well. Using Social Commentary as a motive for my work keeps popping up in my thinking."

Misty

What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about lots of things. Life, the world around me, has lately become emotional to me. Truly, my strongest energy is directed to my work. I am fully involved in raising my skills. I am feeling the need to increase my repertoire as well. Using Social Commentary as a motive for my work keeps popping up in my thinking.

Share with us some feedback from your patrons.
I hear “beautiful” a lot. “Great body of work.” There are also very favorable comments about the detail I achieve. Peers allude to my bold colors, my brushwork and composition. “I want that” is something else I often hear.

​What are you currently working on?
I just completed 6 new paintings to hang in my newest gallery. I am doing some catch up work. Shortly I will be doing a large painting of a heron landing on a branch and a still life of kitchen objects for a longtime friend/ patron.

Tell us about your location and how it influences you.
I live in paradise. Every where I look, I see a painting. The area supports myriads of wildlife. The day I moved into my home a Great White Egret walked through my yard. This part of the south has attracted artists from all over the world. Galleries are plentiful.
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Lemons in Colander

Cad Red Artists

"I hope the viewer will see my work favorably. I try to put “nice” in my work. I want them to be touched by and glad to see my efforts. I love the animals I paint. That is what I hope they see."

Insights into what paths you will explore in the future?
My work is continuing to evolve. I will be trying to become slightly more impressionistic with my bird paintings. I will be starting to work on a series of small bird paintings. I will be continuing to work on paintings of objects. My still life works have been small, so I am planning to work on larger pieces. Social comment is always on my mind, I will be experimenting with how to paint it.

How do you feel about art today?
I wonder if the world can afford to buy art. Economies are dropping. So much is going on all over the planet. Will people be able to focus on art? Artists will hopefully steer the population to a better understanding.

How do you want the viewer to experience your art?
I hope the viewer will see my work favorably. I try to put “nice” in my work. I want them to be touched by and glad to see my efforts. I love the animals I paint. That is what I hope they see.

Tell us about your feelings of 2020 and Covid 19.
This pandemic is very frightening to me. I am 84 years old. That is why I am extremely cautious about going anywhere. Staying at home has been beneficial to my creativity. I have more time to work and less distractions. The general mood around this lock-down is pensive. That mood gives durability to my “art thinking”.

Stephen Moscowitz

Morning Preen

"As early as I can recall I considered myself to be an artist. My father, an amateur artist shared his materials with me at the age of three."

STEPHEN MOSCOWITZ - MY LIFE IN ART

As early as I can recall I considered myself to be an artist. My father, an amateur artist shared his materials with me at the age of three. I spent most of my time drawing at home and school.

In high school, art became my top priority. My parents convinced the principal that I would be better off having art classes than math, science, and language. I had a wonderful teacher who taught me everything he knew about mediums and techniques. I won Scholastic Art Awards yearly and a scholarship to The RIT School of Art .

In college, I found out that I needed to get much better at my art. I had great teachers and one of them guided me to follow the commercial art courses. After graduation, I went directly to work in advertising. I became an art director and was attracted to the joining of art and words. That training became the energy that eventually turned me into an illustrator.
​I spent a bunch of years doing illustrations for advert agencies, magazines, and book publishers. When computers changed the world of art, I did not want to become “digital”. The need for illustration shrank and the agents that represented me found less and less work at exceedingly lower payment.

Oddly, at that time, one of my sons bought a motorcycle. “Paint it for me Dad”, he asked. I choked a little, having never painted on metal or curved surfaces. It took me a while but once done, and his bike hit the streets, my phone began to ring. Over several years, I painted hundreds of motorcycles. My work won a bunch of awards for the bike owners. I painted wolves and eagles, stripes, flames, and famous people.

I started doing art on paper and canvas. I developed a following of clients wanting art for their homes and offices. I have been doing that for nearly a quarter century. I have had work hung in a few galleries and recently been juried and invited to join The Perspective Gallery in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.

www.stephenmoscowitz.com
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