Charlie Steg on Paving his Journey into the Word of Abstract Art

An artist and sculptor, Charlie Steg works in various forms of art. His art is primarily inspired by different forms of energy. Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, he studied at the Montclair State University from where his received his Master’s Degree in Fine Arts. A resident of Hoboken for more than 30 years, the artist's work is radically subjective, individual, and free of any artistic category. A fusion of painting and sculpture, environment, space, abstraction and figuration is often observed.

He started painting abstract landscapes with varnish, molding paint, and experimenting with acrylic to create interesting textures. He eventually came to understand how to use paint to create the textures he wanted through relentless trial and error.

How did you first begin to develop your unique style?

Charlie Steg: I developed my style partly on my own, organically. It was always fascinating to me as a child to watch the clouds move and change their forms. The shadows of big trees swaying in the wind were fascinating to watch. Watching them for hours, I tried to capture their movement in my drawings. My early imagination was sparked by it, I guess. As a young artist, I was very interested in using simple, fast, and expressive lines to illustrate human motion during the ages of 14-20. In my spare time, I would constantly draw people walking, sitting, or dancing. I studied at the Montclair State University. At first, the base was more classical, figurative, and I am glad it was that way. Afterwards, we were free to develop our own style. I was taught by a talented professor, a progressive abstract painter who challenged us to find our own way in art. After a certain point, one begins to think about why they are doing what they are doing, and where they want to go. Upon reviewing my works, I noticed that movement was typically present throughout. Thus, I thought this was me, and this was the direction I should take. Over the years, I have been influenced by many things.

I’ve noticed your unique approach to paintings, but do you have a standard process?

Charlie Steg: A painting can take a minimum of a month to complete, and sometimes I stare at the canvas for hours before I know what I want. Some people will spend the same amount of time deciding a caption on Instagram, it's a crazy world we live in. Each layer of these paintings takes two days to dry, and some of the paintings have an absurd number of layers. Art and emotion are really shaped by what is happening to me at that time. It pours in.

This is my addiction, some people will take the same amount of time just to decide a caption on Instagram.

Some of my paintings are now made with graphite and iron. A slight shimmer is created by them in the light, which accentuates the darkness underneath. I've been experimenting with a new process that has a beautiful effect and must be seen in person to be believed. Since I've been experimenting with greys lately, I've created these by mixing multiple colors together so they aren't just blacks and whites. I wanted to almost create a distinctive colour palette.

Do you have any key inspirations behind your style?

Charlie Steg: In addition to Alexis Harding, Howard Hodgkin, and Neal Rock, I am also inspired by other contemporary artists. The way they paint is a combination of sculpture and painting. My confusion has always been over the way some art is defined as just paintings or sculptures. In the case of Neil Rock, his works grow out of the wall as he works. I've been inspired by this. My preference is to use the whole canvas rather than just one side. In my opinion, if you paint a moment or a metaphor inside a 10cm deep frame, it becomes more than just a painting.

In the work of artists like Neil Rock, the wall becomes an extension of their work. It lives on. The same can be said about my artwork. It lives with me. In the end, it's not just me who made the art, but the paint itself. Every time I start a new piece, I am amazed at what it can do. Although I am obsessed with acrylic paint, I can see other artists have gone through the same thing, which comforts me.