Introducing Steve Breaux
- Sep 7, 2023
- 4 min read
Steve Breaux, BFA, MFA, Florida State University, is retired (2020) Professor of Visual Arts at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where he taught Art and the Computer, Conceptual and Formal Development, Advanced Drawing, and 2d. Design. For 25 years he has worked both as a solo artist and in collaboration with his wife and partner, Kathy Reed, in a variety of media including process art, printmaking, painting on silk, computer animation/video, photography, and painting often in combination. He has researched the nature of the art process as it relates to differences between painting and digital (algorithmic) artwork for over 25 years. In 2011, his research led to the ideas and concepts in quantum physics, David Bohm in particular, which helped to shift his private research into a more public arena that included lectures and presentations.
In 2015 Steve was invited to present his published abstract Waking Space: The Emerging Art Object, Quantum Theory, and Algorithmic Art at the Science of Consciousness Conference in Helsinki, Finland. His work has been accepted regionally, nationally and internationally for inclusion in galleries, museums, catalogues and exhibitions.
Artist Statement
My work is focused in three major areas. First, I am interested in the transitional space between the idea (nonphysical) and its materialization (physical). Where does one end and the other begin? What is the “nature” of the transitional area? What are paintings? Can they be reduced to gesso, wood, canvas, and paint? How much of a painting is not material such as ideas, concepts, and personal expression? What is the relationship between perception and matter to the process of artistic creation? These questions have led me to relate the art process to certain experiments and concepts within theoretical quantum physics through my writing and artistic experimentation that conclude with works of art.
My ideas and work offer a unique view of the artistic process and the role of the artist that consider a model of the art object, a painting for example, that aligns with certain concepts of quantum theory. One goal is to encourage dialogue between the artist and the quantum physicist. More than that my work offers a view of an arena, a space that I refer to as “Waking Space” that is a psychological interactive space which the artist, through consciousness, adds to and enhances the work of art.
The second area of my focus is to investigate the nature of drawing and painting as they relate to the computer and to digital processes. Combining tactile drawing and painting within a digital context I “humanize” the sometimes-robotic look of digital imagery. A hand-drawn mark has the potential to carry unique, individualized information. I am interested in the ability (or inability) of technology to translate these unique properties, through scanners, printers and software, into the final image. My work explores ideas and processes that pursue these issues through image making and writing.
The third direction involves connecting physically, conceptually, and ritualistically with my current location, history and cultural heritage through natural and urban landscapes. My most recent work has been to combine all three directions of which a portion of this work is in collaboration with the artist Kathy Reed.
Who makes up your art circle?
I would describe my art circle as a series of concentric circles with the closest being my collaborator/conspirator Kathy Reed. Just outside that circle are my closest colleagues at UL – some alive and some not – along with several local and regional artists and many former students, many musicians, and writers, art community professionals and leaders. Then the circle expands to several close grad school cohorts and professors, all the way to the hundreds of artists I admire and look up to within the annals of the history of art.
How do you expand your art circle?
I expand my circle by always being open to another artist’s work and dialogue. I have always thought of myself as a student, as someone who is always learning and that keeps me open to the possibilities of expansion.
What value do you see in having a creative community?
For me, if one wants to truly understand the quality of the artists’ community in which one is involved one must look at how the individual artist is appreciated. Especially look at how the individual eccentric artist is dealt with, particularly one who shuns the group, the community. They may be totally focused upon individual artistic discoveries. They have difficulty with grants because they may not want to involve themselves with community outreach or the community involvement stipulations that most grants now require. Perhaps the emphasis that grants place on “entrepreneurship” is unimportant to an individual artist who places a higher value upon a deeper exploration into self. To me the question in these cases is how much value does a creative community place on the individual artist who is pursuing personal, individual achievements that expand the nature of art?
How does your artistic approach contribute to your community?
As a teacher for almost 25 years, as a participant in every aspect and at multiple levels within the artistic institutions and communities in Lafayette, as a writer about art for local papers, and as a musician (off and on since the 1970’s)- none of these are as great a contribution to my community than to get up every morning, walk into my studio and have a strange, mysterious encounter with a painting. Every artist contributes this way in some form, don’t you think?
Our weekly Art Circle series profiles artists throughout the community and is sponsored in part by Lafayette Visitor Enterprise Fund managed by Lafayette Travel
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