Artist Richard Stephens has found his little Santa Cruz
Where’s Richard Stephens, the guy who used to run Cannery Row in Redondo Beach? Let’s follow the trail of dripping paint.
There he is, in his new, intimate studio at Destination Art, a stone’s throw from Old Torrance and an easy lob from The Depot.
Settling in
Stephens, paintbrush in hand, is finishing a motley-colored picture as I walk in. These days, he says, “Things are good; I’m a happy camper.
“I’ve slowed my life down. Cannery Row made me run hard most of the time. I’m happy to just come here and paint and do the little things I do.”
Close to a year and a half ago, Stephens left the gallery business, and, in the hands of John Cantu and Emiko Wake, Cannery Row became Ego Fine Art, which continues to feature an array of shows and a wider range of artists.
For Stephens, destiny met Destination Art when he encountered Margaret Lindsey.
“Margaret created the Pastel Society (of Southern California),” Stephens says, “and then once the P.V. Arts (Center) started going a different direction she founded this organization. We met at Crafted (in San Pedro) in a show and I was really impressed, because David Wolfram was with her already. The core was with her, and so I jumped right in.”
Destination Art, a co-op of mostly mature artists (12 of whom have permanent studios in the building), systematically searched for a permanent home with room for an exhibitions gallery.
“They found this place,” Stephens says, “and the owner is great. He built the walls for us and he put in special (overhead) lights so you can paint without being under neon.”
Stephens enjoys being surrounded by like-minded people, although his studio is at the rear of the building where he also has more privacy than some of the other artists.
“I just want to paint”
This Saturday, from 6 to 9 p.m., Destination Art is having an open house to showcase its members’ recent work. Stephens is setting up a tent in back with a few new pieces inside, while indoors on the walls there will be a few more.
What’s going to be shown?
“Everything on the calendar is going to be up,” he replies, referring to his 2015 Richard Stephens calendar, which he has printed and distributed for at least two years running.
As to the kind of art he’s been making…
“Basically I’m doing two different things,” Stephens says. “I’m doing landscapes, still lifes; that’s what I get money for, and then (I’m doing) my wild stuff. Someday maybe I’ll get money for it, but I do it for myself.”
People will want to know what you’ll be offering to eat – caviar, lobster, all the usual…
“Yeah, they can dream away.” He laughs. “I just happened to be at Super-A Foods today, so I picked up a few things. But all the artists are going to bring food.”
When we spoke before you closed Cannery Row you said it was all a bit too much and that you wanted to step back from all that.
“I told everybody I was going to Santa Cruz,” Stephens says. “That was the big joke – so I could just phase out of it.”
Why don’t you put up a sign here that says, “Welcome to Santa Cruz”?
He ignores this wonderful suggestion.
“So now I have to tell them, No, no, that was just a ploy. I don’t really care anymore; I just want to paint.”
Richard Stephens has been doing just that, and now his color palette is hotter than ever.
Destination Art is open this Saturday, Feb. 28, from 6 to 9 p.m. The exhibition space is located at 1815 W. 213th St., #135, Torrance. Normal hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, as well as 12 noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Call (310) 742-3192 or go to destination-art.net.
