| Artist Statement for Charles Stephan | |
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Pigs have somehow always played an important part in my life. I've gotten to know them at an early age. My aunt had 'family pigs' (not for their meat!) when I was a young boy. She also had a Vietnamese potbellied pig called Porkie, and from the beginning I was drawn to this creature because of its specific looks, intelligence and character. At a later point in my life I started to combine my painting and drawing skills with my love for pigs and one thing led to another. The most important reason why I dedicate my work to the pig is because this animal deserves positive attention more than any other animal. It is too often misunderstood, taken for granted or just seen as pork.
I think it is my duty to try and purify the bad image of the pig together with other pig friends. With my pig art I want to show how pigs truly are. Instead of simply dirty, lazy, dumb or fat: clean, playful, intelligent or lean. But also loving, colourful, diverse, beautiful, warm, social, wild, dangerous, courageous and more.in short: an animal worth to be seen and to get to know!
Bio: Charles Stephan, pig artist
Born in Spijkenisse (Holland), September, 6th, 1969. Self-taught.
Both his parents are born in Jakarta, Indonesia. Charles does custom work and
draws and paints (pet) pigs, and sometimes other animals like horses, cats and
dogs. The many diverse pig breeds of the world are a challenge and great
inspiration to him. Today his watercolours are spread all over the world and
there is a lively interest for his art work from: Japan, the U.S.A., Sweden,
Belgium and the Netherlands.
Besides the editorial work for the Dutch pet pig magazine 't Knorrende Stopcontact (the Oinking Socket), he provides most of the pig illustrations for this magazine, published four times a year by the Dutch (pet) pig foundation 't Gorke. Charles has exhibited some extinct pig breeds last July 2002 for the foundation of rare breeds 'Royal Cattle' (Zeldzame Huisdierrassen, exhibition Vorstelijk Vee at Paleis het Loo).
In April 2003 his first book has been published ùVan Minivarken tot Grote Vriend - Alles over minivarkensù (From Mini-pig to a BIG friend - All about mini-pigs), published by CirCum Publishing. This book is a practical guide on how to keep pigs as pets, with lots of colourful water colours of different breeds of (mini) pigs by the author and other artists. There are also several postcards with pig drawings and paintings from Charles especially designed for pig rescue fundraising projects like 'the Piglet Adoption Plan' and 'Save the Pygmy Hog - Project'.
The pig artist works from his studio Atelier Babi Senang (The Happy Pig), the place where the source of his idea's flow and where pigs are always welcome.
Charles' latest project is about the Legend of the Swine tubers.
He is the conceptual designer and creator of The Lil'pOtbellies (3D Sculptures other).
Virtual online exhibitions can be visited at:
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