Steve Mitts -Art Of Distinction

Steve Mitts - Art Of Distinction

Steve Mitts was born in Hay River, North West Territories, Canada in 1968. His formal training included Red Deer College and University of Calgary where he earned his BFA

His work comes from the past, primarily from the period 1450-1570. For the most part his work deals with the common interests of two different Centuries, ours and the age of the Renaissance. 500 years have passed and yet human nature prevails. Steve’s art looks at the common emotions and situations felt in our culture and places them in a period where they also existed. The subject matter in his paintings usually involves people contemplating an idea, or feeling. They may be playing a musical instrument or singing, reading a letter or looking out a window in hopes of seeing someone they miss. The characters may also be interacting with one another in conversation or debate or even sharing a simple smile. All of these behaviours existed then as they do today, but it is the period that they come from that captures his attention.

Steve is constantly exploring new themes and subject matter that was present during the Renaissance and would continue to work in a contemporary period. He strives not only to paint these concepts he loves, but he continuously expands and develops his painting techniques to compliment a period in time that demands perfection.

Steve’s unique technique includes ageing his canvases with various gels and mediums that allow cracks and imperfections to occur. Working with glazes and layers upon layers of tinted gels and washes he is able to achieve a multilayered depth of surface. Most of Steve’s paintings are done in acrylic on canvas. He has also done considerable work on panels as well as huge ceiling paintings for a Historical Building in southern Ontario, Canada.

The paintings of Steve R. Mitts are featured in collections throughout Alberta, Canada the United states as well as into Europe.