Westerville Artist Steven S. Walker to Create Awards for 2014 Governor's Awards
by Malika Bryant
Steven S. Walker, a painter residing in Westerville, OH, will create the awards for the 2014 Governor's Awards for the Arts in Ohio. A native of Richmond, VA, Walker (pictured, right) is known for his striking portrayals of landscapes.
Walker earned his bachelor's degree at Virginia Commonwealth University with a concentration in illustration. After working for a few years as a freelance illustrator, Walker earned his master's degree at Marywood University and then focused his efforts on fine art, moving to Ohio in 2008.
After participating in smaller shows at coffee shops and libraries, Walker's focus turned to gallery exhibition. His paintings have been well received by collectors and are included in the private collections of Hilton Hotels, the Boy Scouts of America, Dominion Resources and the United States Air Force. His work is displayed in art galleries in several states, including the B. Deemer Gallery in Louisville, KY; Glave Kocen Gallery in Richmond, VA; Sharon Weiss Gallery in Columbus; and Vision Gallery in Atlantic Beach, NC.
Throughout his career, Walker has participated in many local and national juried competitions and residency programs.
"It was such an honor to be selected to create awards for this year's winners of the Governor's Awards for the Arts," Walker said. "It's especially meaningful to me as an artist because there is some validation in knowing that your work will be enjoyed by such great contributors to the arts. I think most folks love the arts and yet somehow they are widely overlooked. To share my talent with these champions of the arts means the world to me."
For more information on Steven Walker and his artwork, visit his website.
The 2014 Governor's Awards for the Arts in Ohio & Arts Day Luncheon will take place on Wednesday, May 21 at 12 p.m. The event will be held at the Columbus Athenaeum at 32 N. Fourth St. in downtown Columbus. Walker's handmade awards will be presented to the 2014 Governor's Awards recipients during the luncheon ceremony. The event is sponsored by the Ohio Arts Council and Ohio Citizens for the Arts Foundation, and is presented in partnership with the Ohio Channel. Media sponsors include the CityScene, Columbus Monthly, The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio Cable Telecommunications Association, Ohio Magazine, Time Warner Cable, The Dayton Daily News, WCBE-90.5 FM and CD102.5 FM.
More information about the Governor's Awards for the Arts in Ohio and Arts Day Luncheon, including a full list of past winners, is available on the Ohio Arts Council website.
For more information on how to participate in Arts Day, contact the Ohio Citizens for the Arts Foundation at 614/221-4064.
About the Ohio Arts Council:
The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.
About the Ohio Citizens for the Arts Foundation:
Ohio Citizens for the Arts Foundation provides information to all Ohioans about the arts and promotes their value to a high quality of life, a strong economy and the achievement of educational excellence. The foundation was formed in 1990 as a companion organization to Ohio Citizens for the Arts, which was established in 1976. Ohio Citizens for the Arts is a statewide, nonprofit grassroots membership organization focused on increasing public support for the arts in Ohio. Through the efforts of thousands of individuals and arts and education organizations, Ohio Citizens for the Arts advocates on behalf of the Ohio Arts Council and the arts throughout the state.
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