Meet Steve Sherrell | Artist,Professor Emeritus, & Curator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Steve Sherrell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Steve, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I am an artist working in the Chicago scene. I have been involved in the arts my whole life.
I was born and raised in Muncie Indiana in 1950. My father was an artist. He grew up poor, my grandmother worked for the Ball Brothers Canning Jar company and raised my father as a single mother until he was a teenager.
The Ball family, now of Ball Corp., built Ball State Teacher’s College (now University) where they put their collection of art. My father would go to they’re gallery as a child to look at the paintings. The sister of the Ball Brothers took interest in him, encouraged him, and gave him opportunities to study and a job in their department store.
I grew up around contemporary art before contemporary art was very well known in the midwest, My father, became the window trimmer for the Ball Stores was sent twice a year to New York to see the latest trends and pick up display props and would come home and do paintings based on what he had seen. I had a large cubist painting above my bed ans Abex in the living room.
I did not know I was an artist until I started college. The counselor didn’t know where to place me so she suggested a drawing class. The classroom was next to the painting room. The teacher assigned us to do a drawing on craft paper torn off the roll, on the floor, with charcoal. As I drew I had an epiphany, realizing that I was an artist and would be for the rest of my life.
I started painting and became interested in Pop Art. This was 1968 and Pop was pretty rare and I was learning art history and the contemporary scene quickly. I decided I need asrt school so my new wife and daughter moved to Chicago so I could study at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago where I receeived my BFA and MFA in painting.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m an artist. . I was trained as a painter but began doing computer art in 1992 on an Amiga 1200. I work in my studio every day, doing all the things that artists do, painting and making digital art, planning building, promoting.
I wore a t shirt to my last opening that said “WORKING CLASS HERO”. I don’t have a brand LOL. I’m a Midwestern guy, born of old American stock in Indiana in 1950. My father grew up poor but had artistic talent. He was born and raised in Muncie Indiana by a single mother and the Ball family of Ball Jars fame took notice of my father and helped him over the hurtles he faced. He eventually became the Window trimmer for the department store they owned. He was an artist as is just about everyone in my family.
I did not come from money at all. I had a very free childhood. I was able to do pretty much as I pleased. After High School I began attending the local college, Ball State University. I did not know I was an artist at all, I was completely unaware. A counselor suggested I take a drawing class. During the second or 3rd week the teacher had us draw with brown craft paper and charcoal on the floor. As I drew, I had an epiphany and realized I was an artist, so completely that I immediately began exploring my visual side and the visions I was having.,
About the same time, summer of 69, my buddy and I hitchhiked to Woodstock. Lets say that my mind became expanded just a little. So my early career was one of discovery.
The next phase was education. I needed a better teacher so I moved to Chicago to go to the School of the art Institute of Chicago. By that time I was married with a young child. We both worked and I recieved a full scholarship after my first year. I was able to study with the great teacher Ray Yoshida (look him up) and ran the gauntlet that an artist needs to run. I was accepted into the Masters program and received my MFA in 1978. My college education took 10 years to complete
8 years later I began adjunct teaching at the local community college. I was living in Aurora, Illinois. I worked there teaching painting and drawing for 10 years and was offered a job a Joliet Junior College in 1996 where I retired as a full Professor in 2015. I immediately began running the galleries at Water Street Studios, an Art Center in Batavia, Illinois, where I am still employed.
I have been exhibiting my art since 1971. I have had hundreds of exhibitions, been with galleries, shown in museums, and traveled all over the world. My life is blessed.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would first give them a good day at my home and studio. I live on a river on a road that is wild and overgrown with a park adjacent. My studio is 25 X 40 feet with 30 foot ceilings and looks out on the river to the north.
I would then take them to Water Street Studios, where I run the art galleries and go to Geneva Il for a late lunch.
After that, if they were art people, or maybe even not, I would take them for a whirlwind tour of the Chicago art scene and to all the great restaurants the city offers. And lastly I would take them for a drive around the Illinois countryside to show them just how wonderful the flyover country really is.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My life is very rich. So many people have believed in me. My father, Charles Sherrell, Professors Ray Yoshida and Whitney Halsted at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. More than anyone else, my family: my wife of 53 years, Sally, My daughter Heather and son Colin, who are all artists and all the galleries that have shown my work over the years. Also, Lane Hall, who talked me into getting an Amiga Computer in 1992.

Website: www,stevesherrell.com www.stevesherrell.art

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevesherrell.art/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steve.art/

Image Credits
Sally Sherrell