Resiliency
John Steines
My outdoor sculpture work began during explorations of woods and ravine as a child. My theme is Resiliency - the challenges of attaining it both in personal human form, for species at large, and in habitat.
John grew up on the very southernmost edge of the Canadian Shield just north of Leopold's Sand Counties, exploring north woods remnants and extensions along rushing creeks. John's mother found he would focus when he did artwork. Voila!
John: My outdoor sculpture work began during explorations of woods and ravine as a child, weaving simple structures and figures. My two dimensional work is primarily abstract expressionist oil canvases creating overlapping landscape with figure form, often within dream context. My theme is Resiliency - the challenges of attaining it both in personal human form, for species at large, and in habitat. I love working with peeled willow and bark.
I started the Witness Tree Collective with Rebecca Power in 2013 through which we worked with science, art and conversation on critical issues of nature and being and produced over ten major initiatives. I was lead artist for the Intentionally Welcoming Long House display at Union Corners in 2016 of canvases representing community groups as 'community pillars' - celebrating small groups mostly operating under the radar and with low budgets, working to expand resiliency within their communities. I am currently working on agroforestry planning planting and mapping while completing my critical care career, and transforming - as I can, what I learn into complex image.