Art of Steve Hanks - Children

Steve released his new 176 page hard back book "Moving On" late in 2007. This 11 x 14 inch "coffee table" book has 160 paintings featured in it. It is gorgeous! Every collector and every art student should own one. Steve has three children of his own, and they are featured throughout the book.

Listen to Steve's interview below as he discusses the book, and get your copy here.

"Country Girls is simply about enjoying the times when your children are small," says Steve Hanks. Sometimes his pieces convey layers of meaning, this piece, however, in a smaller scale than Hanks usually paints, conveys the beauty of two tow-headed girls enjoying a moment outdoors in the country. In what could be Anytown, USA, Hanks captures an innocent time of pretending and the simple joys of childhood.

This is a Giclee print on canvas. There were only 250 made, and Steve Hanks personally signed and numbered each one. The size is 11 inches high by 16 inches wide. The price is $250, while it is still available. As is the case with many limited edition pieces of art, the price will be affected by supply and demand. When a successful limited edition sells out from the publisher - prices often increase on the secondary market.

Order yours here while "Country Girls" is still available!

From ES Lawrence Gallery

"Although teachers often cited his artistic ability, Steve Hanks' main interest while growing up around San Francisco was sports.

After his family moved to Albuquerque in 1966, Steve Hanks decided to study commercial art. However, at the Academy of Fine Arts, he discovered the challenge of drawing people. He graduated from the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, during the explosive sixties.

Steve Hanks was deeply affected by the maelstrom of shifting attitudes, as evidenced by his art. Initially, his works were pencil drawings and oils. Steve Hanks' paintings were impressionistic while his drawings were realistic. Eventually, an allergic reaction to oils forced him to experiment with watercolors. Using the techniques learned from his other mediums, he found he could create watercolors as "finished" as oils.

Art jurors began recognizing the quality of his work in 1973. Steve Hanks won the Arts for the Parks Marine Art Award of Excellence in 1990 and 1994, and has been one of the Arts for the Parks top 100 artists since 1989. In 1991, Steve Hanks received the National Watercolor Society Merit Award and the National Academy of Western Art awarded him the Gold Medal in 1992. Since 1993, he has been one of U.S. Art Magazine's top ten American artists. His original works are in high demand by both public and private collectors."

"It is rare that I paint a piece with no background. Since there is no competition with the image, the angel, my daughter, appears to be floating within the white of the paper," says Hanks of his fine art limited edition My Little Angel. "The piece is about treasuring times when your kids are still young and innocent and like to dabble in make-believe.The colors are soft and subtle and create a feeling that the angel is gliding. A lovely way to revisit the charms of childhood."

This precious giclee is printed on canvas and limited to an edition of 300, all signed and numbered by the artist. The canvas is 11 inches tall by 10 inches wide and available here for $195 while supplies last.

While in downtown Santa Barbara, California, Steve Hanks happened upon a Halloween parade. "It really just fell into my lap," he says. "It's a great thing to paint. Children in costume have become a favorite subject of mine because they wear them with such comfort and pride. I love their innocent unselfconsciousness."

This is a terrific collector's piece. The edition is limited to only 150, all signed and numbered by Steve Hanks. These are printed on canvas, so there is no need to put them under glass (unlike many of Steve's original watercolors). The size is 12 inches tall by 7.5 inches wide. This one won't last long! Order yours here (price is $225).