SPAA (St. Pete Arts Alliance) Fall Arts Leadership Forum will be presenting Steven Kenny a surrealist artist. He will be the next speaker for their Fall Arts Leadership Forum on Thursday, October 17 at The Greenhouse.
Starting as a commercial graphic illustrator and creating a successful 35+ year painting career, Kenny will discuss his lessons learned in marketing and self-promotion that led the U.S. Mint to ask him to submit designs that could be used on U.S. coins.
Kenny will cover topics such as maintaining customer relationships, negotiating, maintaining quality, handling social media, seeking out opportunities, building bridges and not burning them, taking risks, being patient, not taking anything personally and more.
While visiting his upstairs studio, SPAA volunteer interviewer, Soleil Simone mused “if walls could talk,” they would speak volumes about the surreal yet photorealistic quality of Kenny’s paintings, whose objects of interest seem almost “pinch-able,” “touch-able,” or “stroke-able” when viewing the downy feathers of a flamingo or a bare torso reaching for a branch. To view his astonishing artwork visit www.stevenkenny.com. The soft lighting and warm ambiance in Kenny’s paintings reveal humans surrounded by beautiful landscapes and creature companions, with an almost Biblical reference. The classical echoes in the form of the subjects combine with the dreamlike elements of surrealist style.
The key behind all of Kenny’s paintings is a metaphorical question, asking the viewer to decipher the hidden meaning behind the composition, something the artist is trying to convey without words. “Kenny’s portraiture and figure paintings form a vibrant commentary on the nature of balance, sexuality and that fickle concept: transcendence.” The event id free for St. Petersburg Arts Alliance Arts Business Partner members. The Fall Arts Leadership Forum will have a $10 Registration fee for others. This is the perfect opportunity to learn more about the group to consider joining.
The Coffee & Networking for the SPAA Fall Arts Leadership Forum will begin at 8:00 a.m. The program begins at 8:30-9:30 a.m. Room size is limited so e Early registration is recommended. The SPAA Fall Arts Leadership Forum will be held again at The Greenhouse, 440 2nd Ave North, next to City Hall. Street metered is parking available.
Visit Steven’s website for more about the speaker and his artwork. Visit the Greenhouse or call 727-893-7146 to register. For other exhibits in St. Pete check this out.
Images courtesy of Stephen Kenny. Images are not available for commercial uses without permission from the artist. Content provided by SPAA and Soleil Simone.