Portrait of the artist, 8 x 10 inches, oil on canvas.
Steve Nebraska
“I just want to give all these kids a hug.” – Listening Project Artist, after reading the students' writings.
Steve Nebraska has the ability to express nuances of emotions. When I told him about my Wonder Anew listening work and asked if he’d be interested in reading some of the students' anonymous stories and painting his interpretations of feelings, he replied, “Send me some.”
Two days later, he showed me 5 portraits.
My first response to his work was a choked sob. They are more than beautiful and captivating. I saw and felt through his work an understanding of the uncomfortable aspects of these students' difficulties and the raw intersection of experiences and feelings.
The portraits are of feelings but do not tell us the exact feeling or what we should feel. Rather, the artist lets us decipher the students’ written processes further in a way that allows us to get into the personal spaces they explore. His portraits invite taking more time to look and listen to these teenagers.
