"Whilst Lucas Stephens' paintings appear to follow the Western tradition of abstract expressionism their inspiration owes much to Eastern ideas. These are large works with a rich dialogue of colour. What at first seems simple and bold becomes more involved the longer you look."

Kenneth Lush
Director for Prima Arts Centre
Uley Gloucestershire

What are these paintings about and why do I make them:

There is a world around us and a world inside us, I look inside myself and around me for my inspiration.

Discernible patterns in nature, connections between the micro-and macrocosm and the fact that we exist at all, are a constant fascination for me.

My working processes, as well as the ideas I have about painting, are attempts to involve myself as deeply as possible with these natural connections. This has to be partly a physical activity, thinking alone is not enough for me.

In my non-figurative paintings I have striven to create an arena within which one can rest ones consciousness, and as a result be prompted to clear awareness of the life that reaches deep into our internal space and far out into our external space.

Whether it be an artwork, a building, a meditation, or a conversation even, I love to be reminded that we are alive. Since this awareness is akin to an act of creation in itself and is what makes the parts (or aggregates*) that constitute a life, achieve a sense of purpose and infer being with meaning.

* In the Buddhist tradition existence is described as constituting several aggregates, which come together to give the impression of a lifetime (of an artwork for example), but that under closer scrutiny an object, or person, would reveal itself to be without any inherent separate existence. Hence the life of the artwork has a direct connection to its viewer (i.e. to what it is connected); this is the foundation of a concept I like, which is called inter-being.

Why Make Paintings?

Is there a language, which deals directly with feelings and beliefs, some deep lying root language, which people always have and will always relate to?
Such a language would be in a position to communicate across cultural and temporal gaps, it might be allowed to change with the times and developing understanding without detracting from its' worth.
Certainly a considerable part of Modernism has been the concerted effort to find such a language, some even using a scientific approach, but ironically, it seems many natural scientists have developed a quasi-eastern understanding of the universe, as energy inherently changing. The theories which expounded some stable foundation (an ultimate building block) are undermined. The more we know, the more we know we don’t.
Thus Modernist goals of increased communication and understanding aided by empirical study, become Post-modern not-understanding, but still communicating.

I was educated by Modernists (mostly) and use the painterly language of the European tradition. But I don't think I make modernist Art-works. I think that Chaos Theory is very interesting. I am excited by all the possibilities which have not been explored much by western Artists, to do with what effect colour has on you when you look at it. Maybe there is a mystic dimension to my works, in the sense of mystic being a practical approach to experience and less an interlectual approach. Meanings unfold for the viewer, dependent upon their involvement (according to Lush).

If my work is successful it will be clear that what the meaning of a piece could be, is not being dictated by me. I have my own associations and ideas, but I like to think that other people will have their own distinct experience of them and let the work stimulate feelings and be thought provoking. Does that make me a Modernist, a post-Modernist or a Neo-Modernist…or just a Zen Buddhist? Frankly this is a debate for Historians. The fact is, one really has to look at art works in the flesh and at some length, to find out their value. It’s not what everyone likes maybe, but I like doing that.

About Genres; My activity broaches a wide array of techniques and formats using traditional Art materials. These works are made to be durable and have a lasting message. In contrast to these material pieces, I produce ephemeral work out of found objects, and make works of natural materials which are site specific, and are seldom documented or presented as 'artworks' and are not made to 'last'. I also use a computer for sketching and producing small works on paper and publication on the Internet. Film, Music and conceptual work are hiding somewhere here too.