Stock Schlueter
An artist statement changes as it should as the artist ages. Like many young artists Stock set out to get rich, famous, and change the world all at once. Each painting was a new masterpiece bound to skyrocket him to stardom. The artist personality is often a balancing act of ego and humility. Too much ego and they will never learn anything. Not enough ego and they would not have enough confidence to get started. Talent is of course needed, but often it is overrated. It is the desire and the discipline that over the long haul that build the foundation that allows the artist to create a body of serious work. He could get all philosophical about the deeper meaning of Art. But, after so many years of painting it is enough to just paint. The work becomes a byproduct of a way of life. Observation and the act of painting are their own statement. Creating something of beauty and sharing it just might do some good in this world.
Stock Schlueter was born in Oakland, California in 1949. He grew up in Willow Creek a small town about forty miles inland from Eureka. After high school he attended College of the Redwoods and went on to the University of Northern Colorado, where he received a B.A. in fine arts.
In 1973 he started showing in the galleries in and around Humboldt County. At this time he was primarily a water color artist, and was selected in the California Statewide Water Color and Drawing Survey Exhibition in 1982 through 1887. In 1985 he started working in oils. In 1988 he was selected to The Fifty-Second National Midyear Exhibition in Youngstown Ohio. Since then he has been in galleries in Washington D.C. Indiana, Ohio, Washington, Oregon, and throughout California.
In 1994 he was an award winner in the California Small Works Show at the California Museum of Art,at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa, Ca. He was also selected in 1995, 1996, and 1997. In 1994 he was a Gold Award winner in California Discovery Awards competition. He is currently showing at the John Pence Gallery in San Francisco, Ca., The Fairmont Gallery in Sonoma, Ca. and The Highlight Gallery in Mendocino, CA and the Sewell Gallery in Eureka CA.