((Left) Black Panther. (Right) Steven M. Post)
My interest in art began when I was around seven to eight years old. My great grandfather, Charles W. Post, made a living painting (and selling goat’s milk) in the Columbia River corridor near Crown Point Point Vista House and Multnomah Falls. I admired his oil paintings that hung in the “farm-style” home that he and my grandfather, Frank Post, built near Corbett, Oregon. Charles’ mediums were oil, watercolor, pen and ink and etchings.
I began pencil sketching at around age eight. And when I was in the fifth grade at age 11, my teacher let me draw instead of taking shop (I had no desire to build birdhouses and make ashtrays). I didn’t try watercolor until I was a junior at OSU. My first watercolor painting of a horse, fence and barn looked like a kindergartner’s finger painting! But by the end of the term I did receive an A.
After college, I put painting aside until about 20 years later. I took a class from art instructor Winnie Givet of Sisters. I learned so very much from her (thank you Winnie!) and since then my art has been displayed in the annual Labor Day two-day art show at Black Butte Ranch for four to five years, and around 60 people have my art hanging in their vacation homes at Black Butte Ranch.
I then put my art aside until about 2016, when I took a watercolor class from art instructor Jodie Scheider (also from near Sisters). I also learned so much from her (thanks Jodie!).
About three years ago, and quite by happenstance, my cousin Jeff Terril asked me if I could paint his daughter’s dog. I had never painted animals before, but I said I’d try. Fortunately, she liked the painting and to this day uses it as her screensaver. Then Cousin Jeff asked me to paint his other daughter’s two dogs. She also loved the art. My brother then asked me to paint his significant other’s dog… and then…
To date, I’ve completed around 50 pet and wildlife portraits… mostly word-of-mouth referrals — I paint more for relaxation and pleasure than for commissions. Painting is a way for me to release stress and to relax for several hours — and escape my challenges in life. I sometimes paint out in nature, in a forest by a babbling brook or in the high desert with the views of our beautiful snow-capped mountains, and to escape interruptions at home in my little studio.
I joined the Dry Canyon Art Association in Redmond about a year ago as they have many venues where one can display their art, and they are working on getting a gallery location.
stevepost77@gmail.com • 541-480-5415 (text)