Today we’d like to introduce you to Stewart Anstead.
Hi Stewart, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I worked as a printmaker apprentice for a while in high school. I liked doing design work, and back then, everything was done mechanically. Computers and desktop design were still 8 or so years in the future. I tried painting after getting some positive feedback in my one and only high school art class. It was fun but life happened and I put it away.
After a year of junior college, I was accepted to attend BYU. I worked and saved enough money to pay for one semester and housing for two months. I needed a job and called a local ad agency in the yellow pages and asked to interview the owner. I was doing work for them that night and was employed by them for 7 years. My career was mostly focused on marketing software. After 20 years of that, I decided to try painting again and I really enjoyed it. I paid my dues and approached galleries with my work and got my work placed.
I worked in marketing for 8 or so more years and decided to pursue art as a full-time gig. I have been painting professionally for over 20 years.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Art is its own reward. Choosing to pursue art as a career makes you an envy of the 9-5 folks, but they have no idea how much work is required to make a living out of it. There is no barrier to entry in art so there are no shortage of voices in the marketplace. The biggest thrill is selling your first painting. The biggest challenge is to sell your second painting. Selling your second painting comes at a cost, but is your first glimpse into real possibilities.
I have always appreciated repeat business. The collectors of my work mean everything to me. No art appeals to everybody. Artists have to manage expectations and become street-smart about who likes their work, and who is willing to support that work by voting with their dollars. People work hard for their money. They want their art to say something. I learned early that I may paint a subject I enjoy but until it is presented to the right people in the right way and at the right price, I will end up with another piece that sits in my spare room.
That doesn’t do a lot of good. The one proven way to reduce the impact of challenges in the process is to find and then appreciate the people who love art and love your work in particular, and then express gratitude for them.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
#AskforanAnstead is the hashtag I use in all my posts. This speaks to my hope that when people are looking for a unique piece of art, they might think of my work first. It’s corny. I like it.
I create original paintings and limited edition prints in a few genres: sports, portraiture, and landscapes. A lot of my work has centered around the world of skiing and snowboarding as I have enjoyed representation in galleries that serve these industries.
In the twenty years, I have been doing this professionally, I have learned from the artists I admire and tried to improve my work at each step. I experiment all the time. New techniques, new substrates, new media… new ways of seeing things.
THEMES
1 – MY SPORTS WORK
http://ansteadsports.com/
https://stewartanstead.com/
Artwork is a puzzle I enjoy solving, and few subjects are more compelling to solve than sports themes. It’s people, it’s recreational, and it’s dramatic. Sports art has given me access to meet people and see places I probably wouldn’t have had otherwise. Hall of Fame athletes are just folks. They still get excited by the sport they participated in, and are quite anxious to tell stories about the challenges they had, and the moments they did poorly and wish they could have done things differently. It is cool to know my work was commissioned by them—or in some cases—for them and that my work is seen by them. There are also so many big sports fans who care so deeply about their team or their player, and the art they request is part of their story.
I have a website devoted to multiple sports subjects. I have painted many sports including baseball, football, basketball, volleyball, snowsports, and more. I have a separate website just for motorsports art, as well.
2 – MY INTERIOR ARTWORK
https://www.ansteadarts.com/
These pieces are descriptive of my work done specifically for interior design applications.
I have developed my own unique take on the impressionistic style, using thickly-impasted broken lines to achieve an image that satisfies. Also, through trial and error, I have developed a mixed-media style that is completely different from impressionistic work. I find them to be super satisfying to make, and each of these styles of work has an influence on the other. I have never suffered from the old trope of an artist who doesn’t know what to paint next.
I have enough concepts and layouts to last me a lifetime if I pursued them one after the other. And they are in competition with the latest ideas I get and the pieces I build for my clients who have their own stories to tell. The Notes app on my phone is full of inspiration and ideas I get from time to time. Life is amazing. There is too much to take in. I intend to paint until I am not able to do it anymore so having too many ideas to render is a terrific ‘problem’ to have.
I am not just an artist but am also a consumer of art.
There are so many great artists out there. I could name for you 30 of them who I know personally who I would recommend to you in a heartbeat. But none of them are like me. Nobody else approaches a subject like me. Nobody’s final pieces look like I did them. I love that! I’m not trying to achieve perfection in my work. There are many other artists out there who will always do that better than me. I think the thing that makes my art reflect my “voice” is that I paid the price already doing design work for so many years prior to this moment. My work, therefore, seems to reflect a certain point of view. A perspective that connects them.
Also, I enjoy doing research to greatly amp up the integrity and authenticity in what viewers see. An art expert and mentor who I greatly admire has reviewed my work in the past and said–immediately–“Oh, you are a graphic designer.” Yeah! That’s also correct. What a nice compliment! I have spent my whole working life learning how to “see” the world and then telling stories for the benefit of others.
What matters most to you? Why?
Evoking Joy through my work.
I have read the opinion of many artists and many critics who make “is” statements about art. “Art IS supposed to say this” or “Art IS only successful if it evokes that” and I STRONGLY disagree with most of them. In fact, one of art’s amazing features is the full spectrum of expressions that fall under that umbrella term. Try to define art to conform into a tidy box and you will fail in that attempt.
Art can be funny and sarcastic and critical and ugly and degrading and kitschy and inspiring. It can do all those things quite effectively. So try to force it into a box and you will not come close to capturing its complexity and its ability to communicate. Art is a powerful tool. It can be constructive and contribute to society or it can be deadly for ugliness’ sake when in the wrong hands. Either way, it is still actively doing something.
My objective has evolved from being somewhat selfish… trying to get attention for myself I suppose. As my career has evolved, I see my role is more of a collaborator. It’s the thing that my collectors are drawn to most and is most satisfying to me as a creator. The desired outcome is when visitors to my collector’s home or office will be immediately guided over to see the art and given the personal story that goes along with it.
Contact Info:
- Email: ansteadarts@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.ansteadarts.com/
- Instagram: @ansteadarts
- Twitter: @ansteadarts
- Other: https://stewartanstead.com/
Image Credits
All images © 2021 Stewart Anstead Media – RMWC Holdings LLC.
