The works of Stephen Namara are grounded in classical form, and yet are illuminated by an acutely contemporary reflection of the world in which we find ourselves. His drawings capture the fluidity of the subject and the mystery of its subtext, leaving the paper to reveal traces of the process. His paintings are brought forth in deep colors, rich in texure and evoking a depth and humanity which are sensuously realized.

"In regards to my work, I am trying to create atmospheres. I am, perhaps, not so much interested in the questions of details but on the way that the light is absorbed or reflected by the surface. I employ the tension of light and shadow to heighten the suggestion of spiritual qualities, much like the Spanish Realists of the seventeenth century. And always I am trying to reflect the present. For the present contains the memory of the past, even though the painting is the result of an extensive span." Bio courtesy of Greenleaf Gallery

Born in 1953 in Kenya, Stephen Namara spent his boyhood there. As a young man, he traveled extensively through East Africa, Mozambique, Somalia. In 1974 he came to the United States and entered the University of Missouri where he studied Architecture and Engineering. In his third year he decided to become an artist. He currently resides in San Francisco, CA with his wife, Lisbeth, and their two children.

Pear in a Bowl, Oil on Wood Panel, 36 x 80"