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Jay SteensmaSongbird with Red Sky1991
1991
$3,500
£2,675.96
€3,065.96
CA$4,936.77
A$5,374.89
CHF 2,870.02
MX$64,883.32
NOK 36,081.28
SEK 33,559.79
DKK 22,901.19
About the Item
Steensma was an enigmatic figure in the Seattle art scene. He was a highly talented artist, with a celebrated future predicted for him, yet he suffered from manic-depression and had bouts of bipolar disorder, with occasional outbursts and institutionalization that changed his path as an artist.
Steensma is considered by most as the last member of the Northwest School of art, which included Mark Tobey, Morris Graves, Kenneth Callahan, and others.Steensma won awards for his work early on, and secured a teaching position at Cornish Arts School in Seattle. His work was sought after by collectors, and were being shown in local galleries and institutions, but his mental health began to fail, and his erratic behavior led to his alienation from the tradition art community.
There are stories of Steensma shoving a roll of lit paper towels through a gallery's mail slot while the gallery was closed in hope of burning the gallery to the ground. Another story has Steensma slashing paintings in a gallery with a razor blade while the gallerist was out grabbing a coffee. Steensma once said : "The purpose of my paintings is to confound the enemy."
Without gallery representation, or institutional exhibitions, Steensma relied on selling his works to friends who could manage their interactions with the artist, while trying to support a him, recognizing him as a highly talented artist. Friends of mine have told stories of Steensma showing up at their place of business in a taxi, offering still wet paintings for as little as $5, so the artist could jump back in the waiting taxi and go buy breakfast before returning to the easel.
Steensma did recover somewhat from his bi-polar disorder, and did secure a show at a local gallery later in life, but he did not live long enough to see his way back into the good graces of the established art community. Therefore, his works are spread around the Pacific Northwest and beyond, in the collections of his supporters.
Former Seattle art critic and writer, Regina Hackett, once said of Jay’s work: "With a few strokes, he could render a landscape that reverberates with visual meaning, a mood stated with the barest of means".
- Creator:Jay Steensma (1941 - 1994, American)
- Creation Year:1991
- Dimensions:Height: 18.75 in (47.63 cm)Width: 40.5 in (102.87 cm)Depth: 1.75 in (4.45 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement Style:
- Period:
- Condition:Excellent condition, keeping in mind that the artist painted the work on a creased paper grocery bag. The framing has some wear.
- Gallery Location:Colfax, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2907217306262
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