Faulkner Lifestyle April 2019~Anniversary Edition

Vivian began taking dance and art classes
at age five and started painting professionally
in 2005. Steve is largely self-taught,
taking no formal art classes as a child. “But
I cannot remember a time when I didn’t
draw, color, or create objects with my
hands,” he says. He began selling artwork
professionally in 1997.
Both Steve and Vivian come from families
brimming with creativity. “We both
have a family background of craftsmen,
quilters, seamstresses, etc. While none
of our four children currently create
artwork as a profession, they all have
creative skills, such as writing, photography,
music, and woodworking.”
For her part, Vivian’s preferred medium
consists of mixed media works on
canvas, which include acrylics, oil,
metal leafing, and found objects. Typical
styles and subject matter include
abstraction, landscape, and figurative
works. Steve’s work is comprised of oil
on canvas, watercolor, and experimental
and 3D works. Styles and subjects
include impressionism and abstraction.
“I enjoy experimenting with acrylics,
airbrush, and assemblage work with
found objects,” says Steve. About 20
percent of their work is commission,
with the remainder being works
inspired by travel.
When asked which artist(s) they find
inspirational, Vivian and Steve respond,
“We have visited almost every gallery
and museum in the United States over
the past 22 years. While the works of
famous artists from the past are certainly
fascinating, we tend to find the most
inspiration from the working artists we
have met in our travels.”
The couple has shown their work,
together and individually, in galleries
throughout the country. “While we still
have out-of-state gallery shows from
time-to-time, we have seen a huge shift
to social media as a marketing tool.”
Indeed, their respective Instagram
feeds, @v.noe and @eye4art77, display
like a gallery wall. Canvases in varied
colors and styles scroll past to the
viewer’s delight.
“One of the most fun things we have
started doing over the past few years
is setting up shows in the homes of
our collectors around the country.
Often this is a natural progression,
as their friends have asked about
their artwork and the artist. We also
hold several invitation-only shows
each year out of our home/studio in
Conway.”
8 faulkner lifestyle | april 2O19