MICHAEL STEPHENS is an artist and storyteller living in Southern California. He frequently paints but works in other mediums as well. He is a floral designer and owned a shop with his wife for many years.
ANGELA: When did you know you wanted to be an artist? And why?
MICHAEL: I come from parents that had a creative side. It was part of me. In high school, I had 4 years of art and a teacher that, I would say, presented a college level of teaching. Art History was a huge part of each year of school.
I loved shaped canvas and I wanted to build one…keeping the canvas off the frame. I cut the shape out of plywood then attached a metal edge to stretch the canvas over. The Picture was from an electric magazine but here it is….my senior year in high school. This was a real success.
ANGELA: Which artists, art periods, or movements have been particularly inspiring?
MICHAEL: I loved several artists! Each one bringing a different style or technique.
ANGELA: What types of exhibitions are you going to at present?
MICHAEL: I’ve been in art for some time but actually new to exhibitions. Some of them have themes. My last exhibition was interacting with nature. I had just finished an Aerial View of my Street where I lived.
Our Exhibition Fee was a small item they could sell for fund raising. This was a small canvas but one of the favorite ones.
The Pelican. They were everywhere. The show was at a Library! Anywhere is a great place to display your art.
ANGELA: Describe the art you create, your discipline, style, mediums, etc.
MICHAEL: When looking for your style or technique, you might consider doing a “Series” of paintings for example. With each painting, I’m experimenting with style, technique and subjects.
Examples of a series I did… 8 total. I did these for my grandkids and each would come with a Secret Decoder Glasses to read a secret message in each one.
ANGELA: What other creative activities are you involved in?
MICHAEL: I see ways of creating in all aspects of life. I love to cook! I’ve focused on Cajun and French. I also do flower arrangements for a Michelin Star Sushi Restaurant. I learned from – or with – my wife who was a career florist. I just apply my creative touch to it. Just a few. I have put together a photo book that they have at the Restaurant.
ANGELA: What is one piece of advice you would offer to someone who is new to the art world?
MICHAEL: Find a medium you love working in, a subject that interests you, and start small, start easy, build your creative skills. George Segal did these interesting works with plaster….
Well, we just so happened to have material in our classroom. I should have started out simple but ended up doing the lower half of my subjects’ body in a cast. When done, we realized, “How are we going to get it off?” In a wagon, we went through the school and onward to the hospital to get the cast cut off. The mold wasn’t what I expected but it was a heck of a learning experience.
ANGELA: What do you do about creative burnout?
MICHAEL: Everyone has a creative burnout or block but just keep it fun, subjects that inspire you, or even try a new medium. Art is about your expression! Try your own or a style you admire! This last piece is as if PICCASO had painted my kids! Not so easy a style when you actually try doing it yourself and looking like my family.
Bonus round….painting I did with my 2-year-old granddaughter. I was 62. “Painting then Pancakes.” I added the black and the earrings after.
All Photos © Michael Stephens Used with permission
Interview conducted in September 2025.
Night Sky Coaching 