Steve Smock

Steve, with a painting titled "solo."“That’s a Steve Smock.”

You don’t have to see too many of his paintings before you can spot one on your own. The expressive eyes. The often exaggerated extremities. The simple, eccentric poses. The rustic strokes and romantic colors.

Whether he’s embarking on a personal work or producing a commissioned piece, Steve has found a consistent voice through the people he portrays in his work. They are his inspiration.

“People I know. People I meet. People I wish I could meet,” says the Rochester, NY, artist.

And his work finds an audience through many routes.

“I have work hanging at a few galleries,” he says, “and at some fine establishments via the rental program at  Artisan Works.”

Steve creates artwork for both private collectors and commercial spaces.

“Recently I was asked by Camille's Sidewalk Café to paint a bench for the Benches on Parade,” he says, referring to a Rochester public art project.

His work is also featured on the cover of a book by Rochester writer Peter Conners.

"Lost," acrylic on canvas.The variety of channels Steve has found for his work extends beyond his paintings, too. He has a busy roster of clients as a graphic designer. But, unlike his artistic portfolio, the tools of the trade have changed dramatically over the years.

 “At the time, Newsweek, Time and other major publications used illustration for their covers on a regular basis. Obviously that has changed,” Steve says.

So has he. Steve's commercial career began in a world of  rubylith, stat cameras, t-squares and drawing boards.

But these days, the dude is digital.

“The creative field is always shifting, so I've shifted along with it,” he says. “I'm sort of a design hybrid. I design logos, all kinds of print materials, websites. I also do motion graphics.”

"Dats da key," acrylic on canvas.He recently finished a brand identity project for a new restaurant, Half Moon Salads.

The tools may change, but the artist endures. And when working with clients, Steve looks for ways to incorporate the artistic into the commercial, where possible.

“I incorporate illustration or drawings when it fits the project scope,” he says.

After all, who wouldn’t want a Steve Smock?

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If you’re in the area June 15, stop by the Rochester Contemporary Art Center at 6 p.m., when Steve will set up his easel in the front window and paint a new work during Poetry is Jazz, a reading and live music show. It’s free. Details here. 

See more: stevesmock.com

Say hi: smock@stevesmock.com