David Stephens

Modernist Resting Nude

1998

David Stephens left a corporate career to make his living as an artist in 1989. In the years that followed, a growing circle of galleries and collectors were drawn to David's work. The subject matter ranged from landscapes to cityscapes, florals and figurative images. David often painted in plein air. In the spring of 1996, David and his wife Sylvia opened a gallery in Carmel, California, named Sylvia Savage, the gallery director, Savage Contemporary Fine Art. Now closed, the gallery’s original vision and values were, to show and sell unique contemporary paintings and sculptures that blend the abstract and the figurative to express archetypal themes. Describing himself, David said, "First and foremost, I am a colorist. I am naturally inclined towards an exploratory, emotional approach because, for me, color connotes a sense of spiritual energy and centeredness. Additionally, many of my images contain spatial elements and movement which lends a sense of expansion. Line, form, and texture also help shape my interpretive, light-filled paintings."