Education
1995 - Post-Graduate Computer Graphics Certificate, Sheridan College, Oakville, Ontario
1991 - Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.), University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario
1989 - Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario Exhibition Record (*solo shows marked by asterisk)
Exhibition Record (*solo shows marked by asterisk)
2009 - *Paintings by Steven Volpe, S.A. Capital Growth Corp., Oakville, Ontario
2008 - 36th Annual Juried Show of Fine Arts, Peel Heritage Complex, Brampton, Ontario
2008 - 32nd Annual Juried Show of Fine Arts, Art Gallery of Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario
2008 - Made to Measure, 28th Annual Juried Art Show, Etobicoke Art Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
2008 - Juried Art Show, Laidlaw Hall, Living Arts Centre, Mississauga, Ontario
1990 - Robert Whale (1805-1887) and Works by Steven Volpe, Art Gallery of Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario
1990 - Juried Art Exhibition, Peel Heritage Complex, Brampton, Ontario
1989 - *Paintings by Steven Volpe, The Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
1985 - Art Auction Fall ‘85, Glen Abbey Golf Course, Oakville, Ontario
1983-85 - Surroundings Gallery, Mississauga, Ontario
Awards and Grants
2008 – 3rd Prize DeSerres Award for The Conversation, 32nd Annual Juried Show of Fine Arts, Art Gallery of Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario
2008 – Ontario Arts Council, Visual Arts: Emerging Artist’s Grant
Publications
Works by Steven Volpe, Brush Up, Volume 3 number 1, January/February 1990
About the Artist (Born: Mississauga, ON, 1966)
Although I always knew I was artistically inclined, seeing Robert Bateman’s wildlife paintings at the Royal Ontario Museum in 1983 really inspired me to advance my skills as a painter. What began as a few copying exercises for me would lead to a steady stream of original compositions in acrylics and oils. Being an avid bird-watcher and photographer gave me lots of accessible subject matter right outside my window.
Between the ages of sixteen and nineteen, selling my paintings through word of mouth became my summer job. I had limited success with nearby galleries and auctions, but most of my time was spent fulfilling numerous commissioned requests. This prolific phase would lead to my next artistic incarnation at Queen's University where I earned an eye-opening Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
At Queen’s, I was encouraged to explore the expressive properties of painting. But I was slow to move out of my artistic comfort zone, and remained stubbornly committed to my meticulous methods and pace. Studying art history extensively, and being exposed to all the imaginative daring of the teachers and fellow students around me would eventually effect changes in my own work. I was discovering how the physical properties of paint and the boldness of subject matter could serve higher poetic or philosophical ideals. In the early nineties, my paintings caught the eye of art galleries in Toronto and Mississauga. These new multi-paneled pieces with an eclectic mix of imagery, far removed from the wildlife paintings done a few years earlier, were garnering some attention. A trip to several European museums had provided the inspiration for a short burst of artistic activity that would last about a year.
Thoughts of a more stable career in the arts began to surface. During this time, I taught art to grades seven through OAC and received computer graphic design training. My paintings were few and far between over the next ten years. I found myself feeling somewhat creatively disoriented – even blocked – but I persevered with much reflection and artistic experimentation. An attempt to recapture the childlike joy of making art led to a forray into previously unexplored media that included chalk pastel, casein and my current medium of choice, oil on canvas.
My work continues to evolve. With more experiences behind me, and as my understanding of art deepens, I also hope that it continues to improve. It is my goal to make paintings that have all the desirable qualities that I see in the work of my favourite artists.
-- Steve Volpe