Art and Life at 40,000 Ft. – Steve Lomprey – Ep 94

Do you feel freedom when you make art? Is the process life-giving or life-draining? A big part of ease in art-making has to do with how we think about it. It’s not hard to get so bogged down by our own thoughts that we lose objectivity. Today’s episode continues a conversation I’ve had for 25 years with my dear friend Steve Lomprey. He’s a multimedia artist whose mediums include painting, videography, and music. Join us for an encouraging discussion about humanity, freedom, and taking a 40,000-foot view of life and art.

Listen if you are interested in…

• Getting to know Steve Lomprey and the freedom to create  [3:03]
• Painting as the language of the unseen and unsaid [11:58]
• The birth of Real Fictions and embracing a human identity [20:51]
• The power of play and giving yourself space [31:32]
• A new way to be human [34:57]
• Steve’s upcoming projects [46:51]

The process of freedom

Starting the art-making process is easy, but there is often so much that needs to be unpacked before we can feel ready to start. This is why our “come from” is so important! How we think about our art isn’t just a part of the process, it’s the first and most important step. If we come to our art from a place of insecurity and comparison, it’s going to show up on the canvas. When Steve talks about his “come from” he talks about freedom. Just like meditation for some, he uses art and creativity to connect with the feeling of possibility. The more he leans into it, the more his life creates space for it, and his process becomes about expression instead of production. When we think about art-making as a process rather than the end result, we find freedom.

The gift of arriving

When I started teaching art through Art2Life, I wasn’t prepared for how the process would impact people. Approaching art with a sense of openness, wonder, and exploration had this unexpected and serendipitous overflow into life. The real challenge is staying in that place of openness and choosing to approach whatever comes our way from that perspective. Steve calls this giving yourself the gift of arrival. When we throw off the shackles of American hustle culture, we silence the loud consumer narrative programmed into us. We get to show up as human beings instead of human doings. We get to be present. And that presence impacts every area of our lives, from how we feel about our work to how we relate to others. Presence in both art and life creates a deeper sense of purpose of meaning.

The big picture

Taking a long view of our art brings freedom to our art practice. But what happens when we bring that same perspective to our lives? To humanity? To existence itself? This is the heartbeat behind Steve’s next project, Real Fictions. When we go beyond the limits of human enterprise by taking a 40,000-foot view of the human condition, we start to see what (and who) really matters. The pointless demarcations and tribalism found on the surface of our planet start to fade as we begin to see the big picture. We are all in this together. I, for one, cannot wait to see how Steve brings his vision to life when his Strange Fictions series debuts in the future. Listen to this episode for more on that and other art-making insights! 

Connect with Steve Lomprey

• Visit Steve’s website
• Follow Steve on Instagram 

Connect with Nicholas Wilton and Art2Life

Get the Free COLOR TIPS PDF here

• Follow the  Sunday Art2Life Vlog here
• Follow Nicholas Wilton’s Art on Instagram
• Follow Art2Life on Instagram
• Subscribe on Youtube

Subscribe to Art2Life on
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts