Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan Stemberger.
2010 Stemberger moved to Orlando and earned his degree in English with a creative writing track. After graduation, he waited tables at a restaurant named Cafe tu tu Tango, an artist loft restaurant with belly dancers and tarot card readers located in the tourist strip of Orlando’s International Drive 2014 He became interested in visual art and sought academic training and found particular interest in the subject of drawing. He is told that in tradition drawing is learned for five years before an artist begins to paint, that drawing is the base of the cake and painting the icing. Stemberger enjoyed the class environment but inspired by the French Impressionists of the 1880s he sought to draw outside of the studio to capture life. One memory in particular set Stemberger in motion, he was sitting at the sly fox downtown Orlando. The scene unfolded with the passing of two AM. A woman was vomiting into a garbage, men catcalling a passing girl, vegan hotdogs being served, every other person looking down at their phones, four policemen on horseback about to reopen Orange Avenue for late night traffic. Watching from the sidewalk, he would go on to paint many night scenes selling drawings of the streets in a series called Transparent. 2017 Stemberger balances waiting tables at Cafe tu tu Tango and working as a live artist at Universal Studios and attending drawing classes at the University of Central Florida. 2018 Stemberger becomes involved with a gallery downtown called City Arts and signs a contract for display of work.
Drawings of Orlando are made in the city in the style of plein air with easel and charcoal pencil. 2019 Stemberger finds himself five years practiced in the art of drawing and in need of a painting teacher. He has seen the work of a painter by the name of Don Sondag at an event called the Winter Park Plein Air Paintout. Stemberger studies portrait painting with Sondag and is introduced formally to oil painting. Stemberger develops his own movement which he refers to as “New Wave Impressionism” and hosts the first annual showcase of the style. 2020 Stemberger paints and draws through quarantine familiarizing himself with the paint and the process of capturing natural light. He hosts the second showcase of New Wave Impressionism at City Arts and goes on to study with a mentor named Tom Sadler. 2021 Stemberger begins painting on a series of murals and a new series called “Pools” working with Orlando podcast host Stephen Ricardo to make the purpose known. Stemberger finds himself planning the third annual showcase of New Wave Impressionism at City Arts and enjoys his time social distancing poolside.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There are three things that make a great painter, the eye, the heart and the hand. Once was a time Stemberger was not yet able to connect observational drawing of the eye to the hand. That was a struggle. The result was not what was intended and Stemberger had to understand that his hand would make its own mark and the eye and the heart had to follow the physical development and coordination of the hand. Stemberger puts his eye to the test in nature under the sun and moon, the hand relies on the eye for this type of work. The hand acquainting itself with flats and filberts, the brushes and mineral spirits, the tubes colours. The road hasn’t been smooth, but I’m obsessed with the course.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Stemberger would like to be known for plein air painting. He also paints portraits and draws on the regular in a series of sketchbooks. Each time a painting is brought back to the studio, there is a sensation like trophy hunting of capturing time and place. Stemberger is proud of that ability and continues to study the forms and methods of the craft. What sets Stemberger apart from others? Plein air painting is a difficult art form, one must possess both the skill set and the courage.
What matters most to you? Why?
Stemberger’s wife, his family, his friends. To create an environment of encouragement and love.
Pricing:
- Commissioned paintings starting at $200
- Commissioned murals starting at $1000
Contact Info:
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