Brian Keith Stephens studied at the Lyme Academy College of Fine Art in Connecticut. Since 2000, his work has been featured in a variety of venues such as Hugo Gallerie NYC, M Fine Arts Boston & Palm Beach, Punto Sull’Arte Milan, Sirona Fine Arts Miami, and many more. He currently lives and works in Connecticut.
“How to capture the past, present, and future at the same time; this is at the center of my work as an artist and as a father, son, friend, and lover. As we navigate our daily lives, we must face thoughts, anxieties, joys, and emotions from all three of these tenses, and often at the same time. Seemingly opposite emotions — lust, hatred, desire, love, pride, inhibition — exists simultaneously between these moments in time. For some of us, some emotions outweigh others, grabbing our attention and transfixing our minds, sometimes taking over the way we live and breathe. For myself, the emotions that occupy my mind and capture my energy are love, desire, and the fear of hurt or disappointment. And so, at the center of my work are these forceful emotions–they guide my hand to paint and my heart and mind to live. My work explores the emotions that guide us, pull us and push us, and ultimately define who we are, in relation to others and to ourselves.
Lately, what I have been most interested in capturing is how alternative perceptions of one’s identity can change the effect of these daily emotions. My work speaks to this in two mediums: oil paintings and collage/installation. With the first medium, I do this primarily through mystical imagery juxtaposed with figurative techniques. I am using oil paints to create this mystical alter-reality where the human is the animal and the animal is the human.”