2022 Signed “Milky Way” Acrylic on Canvas Abstract Painting by Artist Steven Sickles

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An acrylic on canvas abstract painting by contemporary artist Steven Sickles. Signed and dated verso, this piece is titled Milky … Read more An acrylic on canvas abstract painting by contemporary artist Steven Sickles. Signed and dated verso, this piece is titled Milky Way. Inspired by Gee's Bend quilting, the verso notes "Nettie Young (1971) Gee's Bend" as the specific inspiration. The background of the canvas is red, with numerous black and white square designs creating an abstracted composition. The painting is unframed.

From the artist:

I was delivered by an Admiral in February on the coast of California which makes me something of an Uber-Aquarian.

My history began with parents who believed I was capable of great things without really knowing what form these things might take. I had even less idea. If they were hoping for a Louis Pasteur, they never mentioned it.

Given this amount of freedom to make my own choices, I went to Rhode Island College to major in Fine Art. No one mentioned how difficult it would be to live comfortably by painting. So, I went back to school some time later to major in computer science as a way of supporting myself and my painting habit.

I benefit from the patience and support of my friends and family, most notably, Dan Pierson. Dan is my biggest fan, my harshest critic, and the person whose opinion I value the most. He takes care of domestic chores and prepares my studio (also known as the garage) so that my mind will be undistracted when I have the time to paint. We live in Indianapolis. At a time when I was doing small figurative watercolors, he convinced me to try my hand at doing abstracts. I've never looked back.

I work using acrylic paint. I'm much too impatient to wait for oils to dry. I usually paint on canvas but I also do some reverse paintings on glass. I try to create paintings that are provocative and attract closer inspection. If what I create does not hold my attention, I can't expect it to interest anyone else. If this is the case, I don't consider the painting finished.

I am now retired which hopefully will lead to more time to paint.

-Steven Sickles See less