Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephen Sheffield.
Stephen, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Born in Boston, raised in Wellesley MA, and graduated from Wellesley Public High School in 1984. I continued on to Cornell University school of Architecture, Art and Planning where I majored in Painting and Mixed Media Art. So many important experiences and relationships happened there that directed my trajectory onward to this day. The faculty was amazing and supportive and the guest faculty and visiting artists were world-class. I was able to spend time with the likes of John Sarkowski, Duane Michals and Robert Rauchenberg, to name just a few. Upon graduation I moved to Brookline MA, Coolidge Corner area. After 2 years I went on to graduate school at the California College of the Arts in Oakland/San Francisco. Again, almost too many experiences and relationships happened to mention, but the most important was my time with the artists Larry Sultan, Cris Johnson and Carrie Mae Weems.
Returned to Boston in 1994, entered the independent art scene and began assisting for more established artists and showing my artwork wherever and whenever I could. I was able to wiggle my way into a large, inexpensive and illegal loft space on A Street in the Fort Point Channel area and set up shop. My work caught the eye of gallerist Kenn Gray who had just opened his Media Gallery in Dorchester. From there I moved on to the well-established/respected Judi Rotenberg Gallery on Newbury Street. In 2010 I moved on to the Panopticon Gallery in Kenmore Square, the well respected and oldest photographic gallery in Boston, and am still represented locally by them. During this time I taught the fine art black and white major at The New England School of Photography from 2001 to 2015, and have been adjunct faculty with the MFA Program at the New Hampshire Institute of Art since 1013. I have also built a business making large scale commissioned artworks for local and national businesses, buildings and restaurants.
After 23 years in the city, I moved my family to the picturesque town of Cohasset on the South Shore. I traded in my hip loft studio for a seaside suburban barn, and live with my wife Alison, a residential interior designer and my two boys, Milo, 13 and Finn, 10. I have immersed myself in the art scene there as well, serving on the board of directors of the South Shore Art Center, and teaching a few classes when I can. On a side note, I also coach the Cohasset High School Ultimate Frisbee team and we are awesome!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
As a self-sustaining artist, a career in art is never going to be easy and working for oneself always has its big times and lean times. I have to say that one of the most challenging aspects of art-making is the need to be making art consistently, while at the same time challenging yourself to take creative risks. “Regular” versus “creative risk” is an interesting idea for artists to wrap their minds around. That being said, art making is more often than not a selfish pursuit, and being a good father and husband is important to me, so balancing family while still making relevant art is a constant struggle. To add to that struggle, I have challenged myself to make at least one complete collage a day. This Art365 challenge means that each piece of art needs to be “finished”, signed, photographed and uploaded to my daily blog as proof of completion. https://stephensheffieldart365.wordpress.com This challenge has pushed me more than I have been pushed in years and is highly satisfying personally and creatively. I started my Art365 challenge on January 1, 2017 and as I write this I am on number 461 in the consecutive series!
We’d love to hear more about your business.
My black and white fine art photography is informed by the modern masters of photography and surrealism, specifically, Carrie Mae Weams, Ralph Eugene Meatyard, Duane Michals and Rene Magritte. I try to create images that are formal and heroic and dreamlike all at the same time. Each image should be considered a performance and the dark suited “everyman” is the muse, with myself inhabiting the suit or occasionally a diminutive plastic stand-in. Using large format black and white film and an antique press camera, the mood of his photos is enhanced by the purposeful and expressive imperfections of age and medium.
My large scale commissioned assemblages are influenced by my heroes of collage and montage such as Robert Rauchenberg, David Hockney and Alexander Rodchenko, and I work to construct iconic and sensitive intersecting moments between the past and the present. The collaborative spirit of commissioned artwork is challenging and inspiring, and produces a push and pull that, when done well, creates artwork that is highly satisfying for both the artist and the patron.
These large-scale commissions are for private collectors, institutions, restaurants and hotels and can be seen in and around Boston, as well as many cities around the country.
What were you like growing up?
My first brush with the law came when I was in kindergarten. A friend and I decided it was a great idea to go skinny dipping in the pond down the street from my home. Police were called, clothes were gathered and I was returned home to chuckles, told I probably shouldn’t do that again, and fed a warm meal. That was my style, and my mom and dad’s parenting style in a nut shell. On top of that I was loud, goofy and made friends easily. I was involved in art and music and theater in high school, and a claim-to-fame was that I played Jesus in our schools production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Our version of the musical had a live rock and roll band on stage, hand held microphones and a best friend played Judas and another played Ciaphas. As well as majoring in art, my love of music and theater continued on through college at Cornell where I built sets for school productions and sang accapella in a group called The Cayugas Waiters.
Pricing:
- Framed 16 x 20″ print $900.00
- Framed 20 x 24″ print $1200.00
- Commissioned artworks are $200. per sq foot, more or less depending on research and treatment.
Contact Info:
- Address: 277 South Main Street
Cohasset, MA 02025 - Website: www.stephensheffield.com
- Phone: 617-875-3009
- Email: stephenhsheffield@me.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephensheffield/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephensheffieldphotography/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/sheffieldphotog
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/stephen-sheffield-photography-cohasset
- Other: https://stephensheffieldart365.wordpress.com
Image Credit:
1. Dream Of The Private Eye, silver gelatin print.
2. Large Scale permanent art commission for lobby of Spaulding Rehabilitation Center, Boston
3. Large Scale permanent artwork for Les Sablons Restaurant, Cambridge
4. Large Scale permanent artwork for The Kensington, Boston
5. CD photographs and portraits for Branford Marsalis and Joey Calderazzo
6. Smoke, large scale manipulated silver gelatin print from outdated Polaroid negative
7. Monument, silver gelatin print from outdated Polaroid negative
8. Descent, silver gelatin print from outdated Polaroid negative
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
