About the Artist
Portrait artist, Ronney Stevens was born in San Antonio, Texas in 1956. His earliest art experiences can be traced to his childhood with an adoring relative. At age three, Mr. Stevens recalls his aunt, who was a school teacher, would often babysit by occupying him with her classroom art supplies. Upon further reminiscing about his creative beginnings, the honest remarks on his website state:
"Honest truth! I was poor. What I used to do was tear open brown paper bags, lay them flat, and draw what I wanted to have but couldn’t afford. Let's just say I had an unlimited amount of drawing paper."
Upon graduating from San Antonio's Brackenridge High School in 1974, he moved to Los Angeles, California and studied fine arts and portraiture at both the Otis Parsons Art Institute and the American Animation Institute. Though educated in top tier environments, he continues to believe that the experiences he has acquired by trial and error have been his best teacher. Since his time as a student, Ronney has built a diverse portfolio of commissioned pieces, pastel drawings and mixed media work that attests to an admiration of celebrities and speak to the vibrancy of his community.
Ronney Stevens has shown his art in Los Angeles' African Marketplace in Baldwin Hills, Dallas African-American Art Museum, and in the Austin Texas State Capitol. Currently, he is also a member of the Austin Pastel Society, San Antonio Ethnic Art Society, and the Gevers Street Studio-a network of fine artists in San Antonio, Texas.
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