artist statement

I am a Laguna Beach artist born and raised; I have been honing my craft in contemporary styled artwork for the last decade. Initially a full-time athlete, my notebooks overflowed with artistic creations. Eventually, it came time to hang up the cleats; with my old identity gone, I committed to something new. Soon the hours in the studio surpassed the hours in the ocean, and I knew that it would be this way forever. Years of athletics created an addictive passion for mastering every detail of my creation and finding new sources of inspiration. The only difference is that art is a game I cannot win, so it looks like I have a lifetime of competition ahead of me.

One Love,
Larry Stewart

Landlord series

Larry Stewart Artist statement “Untitled Landlord”

 This piece asks you to consider your roots. It does not ask for your bloodline but the seeds of life that proliferated long before you. The roots that served as the keeper of the land in which you live. It uses the silhouette of an indigenous chief, and its composition speaks of these people's relationship to modern society. The silhouette is in the center of the canvas, urging the viewer to focus on these cultures to understand their central role in allowing for the world we know today. Through style, the artist interweaves the urban culture of America today with that of its original landlords. The profile of the chief serves as the base, and modern street art style fills the inside of its borders, conveying the inseparable relationship of the two. No matter how much the current society changes, it will always be rooted in these indigenous peoples' life and energy.

 

BULL series

The image of the Bull is a common one in art. From classic to more recent interpretations, the Bull represents old interpretations of strength. This allusion to machismo is an obvious one; the Bull is massive, strong, and aggressive. This series mends this faulty thought that image equates to strength; the changes can be seen as a shedding of the ego, losing the weight of societal expectations and distractions. 

This series leaves us with the bones of the beast, who he truly is, and an exterior that is something more novel. In form he is slim, adorning a tailored suit; he is composed and ready for action. The Bull is all it was before, yet, none of what people used to make it out to be. In the end it is the balance we are all searching for, the ability to be macho yet friendly and approachable.