Back by popular demand, Stephen Harlan returns to Ocean Galleries in Stone Harbor, NJ with new and exhilarating artwork. The “Alone Together” exhibit will take place at Ocean Galleries on Friday, July 17 through Sunday, July 19. Stephen Harlan will meet with guests and sign purchased artwork at gallery receptions on Friday, July 17, and Saturday, July 18 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., and on Sunday, July 19, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
At a young age, Stephen Harlan and his family moved to Fort Myers, Florida where his love for water and boating emerged. Spending countless days sailing, Harlan began studying the water, the movements, the sunsets, the sunrises, eventually developing into an obsession he couldn’t ignore. To this day, his nautical focus grows deeper and deeper.
Stephen Harlan now resides in North Carolina, where the brilliance of the coast is an everyday opportunity. With the never-ending, always new, observations of the sea, Harlan is constantly inspired to create. Like a traditional artist, Harlan creates with brushes, only his tools are all electronic. He has brushes to help him depict oils, acrylics, watercolors, and pastels. “The screen is designated as ‘wet’ paint when I start. I can move around, scrape it off, or start over as I proceed with the painting. When I finally reach the desired outcome and finish the session, I then ‘dry’ it to capture the final art.”
While one may look at a Harlan painting and think it seems familiar, all of his work actually stems from his imagination. His mind is continuously flooding with inspiration and something as simple as a shadow of a palm tree can trigger a whole new idea for a painting. So much so, that he keeps a notepad by his bedside to record any ideas that come to him throughout the night.
Harlan uses unique materials to perfectly relay the messages in his artwork. One material he uses is a metallic canvas, which gives off a shimmering effect, adding to his striking imagery. Another favorite material used is high gloss aluminum in order to illuminate the beauty of his work.
Stephen Harlan painted the exhibit’s feature piece, “Alone Together,” during this time of uncertainty. “We are all in the same boat, yet we have had to stay socially distanced in our own homes. So – we truly are Alone Together – regardless of whatever walk of life you are from, we are all impacted in one way or another. My painting shares the same boat, yet I painted each image separately, facing different directions. I did this because, just like life, each boat certainly has its own destiny, while we all are collectively experiencing the same thing.”
With each one of the pieces sold during the exhibit, “Alone Together,” the Harlan family will donate towards the collector’s charity of choice. “If the collector does not have a preference, we selected Compassion International as our charity of choice to help children in third world countries, especially during this time.”
The “Alone Together” exhibit opens at Ocean Galleries in Stone Harbor on Friday, July 17 through Sunday, July 19, 2020. Guests can meet Harlan on Friday, July 17, and Saturday, July 18 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., and on Sunday, July 19, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The exhibition is free and open daily from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. throughout the weekend, with all artwork in the collection available for acquisition.