Garth Steeper primarily works with oils to craft paintings that are rich in association, blending elements of nature, history, myth, and the subconscious. His works, teeming with fantastical beings and spectral forms, exist beyond conventional timeframes, leaving room for varied narrative interpretations. There is also a subtle tension between the illusionary space created within the painting and the physical texture of the paint itself. As we step back, the brushstrokes, which may seem like abstract color splashes up close, reveal figures that are brought into focus by a dramatic, directional light. Steeper conjures creatures, figures, and flames emerging from dark, otherworldly imagines realms often influenced by old masters which he has studied and viewed on his trips to Europe.

A graduate of Elam School of Fine Arts in 2003, Steeper has been exhibiting regularly throughout New Zealand. A finalist in several major New Zealand art awards including the Wallace Awards (2009, 2015); Waikato painting award (2008); and the Adam Portrait Award (2014). Garth’s work is represented in a range of private collections, he currently lives and paints in Titirangi.