Steve Letz

Steve started in art, with drawing lessons as a child. He later chose a college curriculum that included architectural drawing to supplement a design degree. Choosing a profession in Landscape Design, Steve has operated his own design business for 25 years in San Diego. Working in and with nature has always been a passion and a major influence in his artwork.

Steve first started painting with watercolors and then later found a fascination with the brilliant colors of soft pastels. Taking numerous lessons from a local artist, he has been creating his own pastel drawing for the past 12 years.

His subject matter includes many facets of nature, skies, landscapes, plant material (especially succulents and bromeliads). The natural world, travel, and photography all motivate him to create his soft pastel art.

Working with soft pastels is extremely “hands-on,” as Steve mentions he likes to get his hands dirty. Soft pastels are much like chalk and are applied by fingertips. Steve prefers a strong blended method that allows for an “airbrush” style of his “paintings”. His work is often very realistic, but he’ll occasionally do something different with color combinations and be a bit more playful with “rearranging” nature’s splendor.