Kyle Stecker (b. 1986) was raised in Orlando, Florida. He holds an undergraduate degree from the School of Visual Arts and an MFA from the school of the art institute of Chicago

NOTE ON PRACTICE:

I do not garden in the soil but I am gardening. My brushes are my tools and I tend to each canvas with them. Over time, they reveal their direction, and I affirm it. Often this involves simple patience and observation. I wait to better understand where to act and where not to act. This is how I nudge the work forward. When no action is clear, I wait until one is. When my marks, the materials I have made them in and the surface sit together in harmony, I am no longer needed.

Everything in my process remains visible to the viewer. I begin with an honest gesture in response to each surface, aiming for an unfamiliar starting position. As I paint, I do not exert control or use automatic drawing techniques.  If an effect offers multiple approaches, I always choose the least invasive. Rather than using five to ten hasty strokes, I've discovered that a single, thoughtful one can fulfill the same role. When I do finally take action, I do so without expectation, allowing prior consideration to guide me.

I make adjustments, but never change or remove my marks. I try to simply see them for what they are, and how they play a role in the larger structure of the composition. Sometimes this perspective takes a while to cultivate. I need to make sure I don't confuse the intuition that guides me forward with my own preferences. A mark has never ruined one of my paintings, but my taste has.

As I make them, I maintain balance through unwavering focus on the present. This ritual reminds me of the depth of beauty inherent in all experience. This beauty, I believe, blossoms not in fragments, but only through embracing the entirety of the picture.

If you have general questions or want to enquire about purchasing original work, please send an email to KYLESTECKER@GMAIL.com