After 40 years Sam Stephens reveals art to public! Sam Stephens, Artist On October 25, 2007, a collection of original art and limited edition prints was exhibited to a surprised group of guests and friends of Sam Stephens at the Carrick House in downtown Lexington.
Stephens, better known for his marketing skills and as editor of Clark's Kentucky Almanac and Book of Facts, arranged the event with the support of Happy Chandler Scholarship Foundation for the purpose of benefiting the foundation's scholarship fund. "I never planned to reproduce my art but friends encouraged me to make it available, " Stephens said during the evening's festivities which included music, Italian cuisine and wine, celebrating the theme "A Magical Evening in Amalfi."
The "Amalfi" is now available for purchase along with many other prints by Sam Stephens. Pricing and sizes are listed below. To order prints, please contact Sam Stephens at 859.321.9591. You may send an e-mail to Sam at stephenslex@aol.com. There are five prints in this series: "Amalfi," "Woman on Steps," "On The Beach," "Blue Cup," and "Mosspicker."
The "Mosspicker" and "Amalfi" are now hanging at the offices of Michael Breeding MEDIA in downtown Lexington.
"Amalfi"
Inspired by Italian artists, Canaletto, Guardi and others, this interpretation of Amalfi from a monochrome stereoscope photo taken in 1898, captures the beautiful setting and architectural landscape that has withstood centuries since its founding as a trading post in 339.
The meticulous lithographic reproduction is on heavy museum quality paper and makes this beautiful print an important addition for art lovers and collectors everywhere.
The quiet dignity and peaceful look of a man who knows himself, full of wisdom and enjoys what he is doing is captured in this realistic oil rendering. A photo in a 1930s Look Magazine Book of Photos was the inspiration for the artist's interpretation. The stark details of the boat makes you almost feel that you are right there in a boat with this fine older gentleman.
An impressionistic rendering of a mother and son searching for shells on the beach. Using the palette knife with bright yellows to enhance the sunlight and visual starkness, Stephens captures this nostalgic scene as a moment in time that will live on and on. Faithfully reproduced as a Giclee print. This beautiful work will bring back memories of many who have loved the beaches and searched for shells.
This Giclee print of a monochrome oil painting captures the simplicity of a scene reminiscent of a Rembrandt sketch. A woman making her way to or from the market, now frozen in time. An interpretation by the artist of a photo probably seen in Life Magazine sometime in the 1950's.
You can almost feel the heat from the palette knife rendering of this Mexican worker trying to satisfy his thirst. Painted in 1965 completely with a palette knife, this interpretation by the artist, was done from a photo probably from either Look or Life magazines published in the 1950s.
Extended Profile The exhibition and sale of prints by artist Sam Stephens is indeed a rare opportunity. The original paintings have never been shown publicly or reproduced. In fact, they were created in the 1960's, by a remarkable self-taught artist who never planned to reproduce his works but is doing so to further a cause he passionately believes in--helping young Kentuckians attend college. At 80, Stephens has lived a life rich with experiences and accomplishments. The great grandson of Kentucky pioneers, he was born in Danville in 1927. At the age of nine he sold the Saturday Evening Post and Liberty magazines out of shoulder bags in Louisville. As a teenager he lived and worked on a farm near Perryville, earning letters in basketball, football, and softball while still managing to get the cows milked and other chores done. Stephens served in the Navy during WWII and as a Marine during the Korean War. He returned to the University of Louisville where he graduated in 1955 with a degree in Commerce and Marketing. All the while working with an advertising agency and major printers while raising a family. He has had a highly successful career in marketing and publishing, most recently as Editor-in-Chief of the acclaimed Clark's Kentucky Almanac and Book of Facts.
Through Stephens' life, he has been passionately interested in art although his only formal training was one Life Drawing Class. And it wasn't until he was in his 30's that he moved from sketching and drawing to work in oils, pastels and charcoal. He began creating works influenced by the landscape and architectural renderings of Italian painters Canelleto and Guardi. The centerpiece of his exhibit--a 24 x 30 oil painting of the beautiful city of Amalfi, Italy created in 1965 and was inspired by an 1898 stereopticon photograph of the historic coastal city. Over the course of the six months of nights and weekends it took to create Amalfi, Stephens also produced other paintings, sketches and drawings many of which he gave away to friends.
Stephens' career in sales and marketing took him from Louisville to Montgomery, Alabama where in early 1967, he joined Fuller & Dees Marketing Group, a direct mail marketing and publishing company. While in Alabama, Stephens continued to paint and draw.
Sam served as president of the Montgomery Art Guild in 1969 and won first place in the Montgomery Art Guild South Alabama Fair Annual Art Show with an acrylic nonrepresentational work entitled "Now You Can Feel Like the Only One Flying." In 1976, Stephens returned to his beloved Kentucky as a marketing consultant. In 1997, Clark Publishing urged him to join their company and lead the creation of a new state almanac. Stephens considers Clark's Kentucky Almanac and Book of Facts as a legacy he can leave for future generations.
Sam also hopes that his art can benefit young Kentuckians. In 2006, his painting Amalfi, which he had given to a friend in 1967, came back to him -- in pristine condition, with the comment that "it is time for it to return to its creator." That statement turned out to be providential, as now the painting will be shared with the public for the first time, along with other works reflecting Stephens' strong artistic technique and sensibility. It's an event never planned, says the artist, until he saw new possibility in his 40-plus-year-old works -- the opportunity to benefit the Happy Chandler Scholarship Foundation.
