Artist's Bio
Retired physician, professional musician, published writer, graphic artist in graphite, as well, fine-tipped pen and ink, as well, serious photographer focused at present on portrait photography. Justification for this focus on portrait photography is, I feel, encapsulated in the dictum; ‘Every portrait is a self’Portrait!’ Both my photography, as well, drawings have appeared in several juried exhibitions, both solo and in a group setting, to include Walnut Creek’s Community Art Center (2017-18) and marinMOCA….‘Make your mark!’ (2018), where I’ve been invited to return three times. My work is widely collected throughout the Bay Area.
My drawings have garnered comments the likes of: ‘Bosch on acid!’ as well ‘An adult Where’s Waldo’. I draw in something of a fugue sleep, inhabiting a world of hypnogogia, wherein roam ravening creatures of the Id.
Fully occupied in the translation of hours without recall, the result of which lightness v. darkness, images enhanced by contemplation from all four perspectives.
Experiencing self’Captivation in the presence of my own work, I consistently discover myself stopped in my tracks, exiting the TV/computer room, not to mention this world us sorry souls, otherwise, live for.
Talk to me Artist@StevanCavalier.com
Artist’s Statement
I am a strong advocate of “Shoot what you know!” analogous to Hemingway’s interdiction to new writers, i.e. “Write what you know!” My photographic work represents the widest possible range of possibilities, from self’Portraiture, as of ‘Every portrait is a self’Portrait,’ to one very in particular X-mas day, 2017, which began that morning on the verge of dawn with a chill stroll through Shell Ridge, but a click or two down the road from where my wife, Stephany Cavalier Houghton and I live at present….svelte, verdant grasslands in summertime to at times, as well forbidding desiccation lasting from late April to the emergence of spring green.
Greenery was hardly my concern. It was fog that took my breath away, with its mysterious, at times macabre effects on everything from circumambient light to structural elements enhanced by powdery, blue-gray predawn light, especially as regards the oak-studded hills that characterize the Walnut Creek Open Space, not to mention the notable vistas apparent but a few yards on from, virtually, any and all entrances to Mt. Diablo State Park.
My very own, personalized M. O. over the last few years has, over time reduced itself in ‘heft,’ as it were in transitioning from my Nikon D750 to FujiFilm XT-20, arriving at an iPhone 12 mini, whose camera suits me just fine, thank you!
As for after-camera processing, time after time I discover myself resorting to the very same two edits, namely cranking up contrast to 100%, followed by stock-in-trade B + W conversion, only very occasionally allowing myself an adjustment in exposure, as well variable light cropping.
Talk to me Artist@StevanCavalier.com