#stevedefrank

STEVE DEFRANK visual artist United States, NY stevedefrank.com

__   STUDIO VISIT DATE: March 15, 2013 DeFrank first gained attention with his portraits of Ken dolls and Mad Magazine's Alfred E. Neuman made out of hand dyed Lite-Brite pegs. Later-on developed more portraits made of Lite-Brite pegs, some of the portraits are of re-sexualized little people such as the gay leather man, Fritz, or the cowboy, Hank. Once this acclaimed line of work became victim of its own shtick, he then decided to walk away from it, and explore more. Steve then developed paintings in wood, in both its natural and by-product forms: tree stumps, were painted with humorous phrases carved into their bark, surrounded by fairy dust and floating bubbles; other stumps were painted with flowing manes of hair taking on a nearly human persona. In conjunction with the paintings, he then created a series of “Stud”  sculpture works, developed in vibrant colors mimicking its wood grain, the Stud(s) were named after gay male pornography stars and painted  in casein, technique he has mastered over the years.  

Steve DeFrank is a huge inspiration for me and many artists I know, he constantly challenges himself, and puts the word (used so often in artist statements) "painstaking" to shame. He is hilarious, and is able to translate this hilarity into his work.