* All images used with permission. Please do not distribute without first contacting the artist.
Steve Hickok is an artist based in Atlanta, GA. From the earliest days, his artistic vision was molded by the harsh beauty and rough topography of the American Southwest. It was perhaps inevitable that the matrix of his style would be the undulating sand of the desert with its broad mesas and hogbacks, its red skies and bizarre, twisted, red-rock hoodoo columns. The artist is a direct descendant of the legendary cowboy, Wild Bill Hickok. At an early age Steve was captivated by the gunslinger’s exploits and shared his fascination with Native American culture and its iconic forms. The tepee, the arrowhead, and the zig-zag border décor on Indian artifacts—all these, along with the biomorphs of the desert, have come to form the geometry of his art.
Steve explains his work by saying, “Some of my creations are consciously selected themes. At other times they are a mystery, only revealed as the paintings are complete. In all, they represent the journey of life with its sharp turns and labyrinthine passages. I love strong lines, convincing textures, powerful shapes and contrast. I’m passionate about allowing nature to direct my work, which is why I paint and render on wood with its endless personalities. My travels have allowed me to experience the beauty and diversity of motifs and cultures around the world. The multiple square paintings (“Coalesce”) are snapshots of the places and people who have enriched my spirit. And “Passages” is a meditation on ups and downs, climbing and descending through this world in the endless search for home. Though he was formed by the Southwest, Steve’s travels have taken him around the world. His work, therefore, reveals a broad cultural mix, blending Asian, European and North American elements.”
