Tim Stevenson
FLORENCE-Tim Stevenson will be showing a selection of his watercolor paintings at the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts June 27th through August 4th. The solo exhibit is comprised entirely of watercolors the artist completed over the pandemic year, from the period March 15, 2020- March 15, 2021. Mr. Stevenson will give a gallery talk at the opening reception at 1pm on Sunday, June 27th.
Mr. Stevenson is a native-born Alabama artist that has been painting for over fifty years. He is a studio painter who works in the tradition of the “Old Masters” (Vermeer and Rembrandt). Using the remarkable representational painting skills that he acquired in his early career as an illustrator and billboard painter the artist is deliberate in his approach, and will spend days, weeks, and sometimes months in the execution of his paintings. “In the studio the weather and the light doesn’t change, and I can keep a regular schedule in rainy days. I have eight windows in my studio so I can balance the amount of natural light with artificial light using shades and blinds.” 
The artist notes “Watercolor is one of the oldest mediums in painting, possibly dating as far back as Paleolithic times. It was practiced notably in ancient Egypt as well as Ancient Greece and Rome. My first attempts began in 1978 and l quickly fell in love with the luminosity that was possible as well as the challenges it presented. It is worth noting that there is only one painting that is devoted to referencing the pandemic and its direct impact…In all the other paintings l was directing my energies in the direction of subjects that could potentially feed both mind and soul in a positive way. My goal for the year was to paint every day (l did except for two days and two half days) and to only use subjects that were within the confines of my house using only what was at hand. This presented a good creative challenge which l welcomed.”
The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is free and open to the public Monday – Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Art Center is located at 217 E. Tuscaloosa St. Florence, AL and can be reached at 256-760-6379 for more information.
Media Release/Nadene Mairesse
Program Coordinator
Kennedy-Douglass Center For the Arts
