With the many times together, Steve Walker awed us as a personal friend but we also knew him as one of America’s greatest new flashy gay artist!. We shared drinks, food, parties with him and he always offered an expressive smile. He had many admirers for his creative gay captioned work of art. He had visited us numerous times, we went boating,and have had some spectacular fun shows at MC FILM where you possibly have had the chance to meeting him or bought some of his artistic gay callings. Local Tampa Bay residents have his prints and original paintings in their living rooms and offices. In fact all over the Tampa Bay, Florida and world, his pictures are timeless and fresh. Mark was one of his subjects in Steve’s painting  ‘ Boys with Umbrellas’ art piece. That was signed by Steve to us in 1999. It still hangs in our living room with 4 other paintings by him. We are shocked and saddened of our friends untimely passing.

On behalf of his family, it is with great sadness that I announce internationally renowned Canadian artist Steve Walker died unexpectedly at his home in Costa Rica on January 4, 2012. He is survived by his mother & father, Gloria & Gilbert Walker, his brother Kevin Walker and sister Marjorie Walker, Estate Trustee. He is predeceased by his brother Bruce Walker. A funeral memorial will be held at Our Lady of the Visitation Parish, Ottawa, Ontario on February 25, 2012 at 11a.m. It is anticipated that a memorial celebrating the life of Steve Walker will be held in Toronto at a date still to be determined.  His family, friends and the International Art World mourn the passing of this talented and beloved artist. We here also mourn the loss of a Good Friend and our most popular artist since 1998 when we first met him and have enjoyed promoting all his work since then. Many of you reading this may have had the pleasure of meeting him at one of the many signing events we hosted for him over the last 14 years.  He always has had a very distinctive style and many consider him to be the Norman Rockwell of our society.

Biography of Steve Walker

Drawing was one of Steve Walker’s earliest childhood memories. He recollected drawing pictures from about the age of 3 or 4 years old. Drawing came naturally to the Toronto artist, and his love to the art form continued into his adulthood. As a self taught artist, Walker only began painting after a trip to Europe when he was 25 years old. During the trip, he spent much of his time in Europe touring the great galleries and museums. In his words it was the first time he was exposed to great painting, and the first time he recognized his potential power of the art form. ” I was moved by something that I was capable of doing.” he said. His first paintings were done in a somewhat secretive way, as he had no intention of exhibiting or selling, and had no aspiations of becoming a professional artist.
Producing art about his life, and the lives of those around him, was as natural to Walker as his first childhood drawings. As a gay man, Walker was acutely aware that he was living during a period of history that was both the best of times and the worst of times. There was more freedom and acceptance for gay men and women, while at the same time AIDS had devastated the gay population. But Walker’s paintins are not about gay people or homosexuality. He described his art as being about love, hate, pain, joy, touch, communication, beauty, lonlieness, attraction, hope, despair, life and death. His art includes universal themes regardless of race, gender, socio-economic class, culture or sexual orientation. However, his work is unique because he conveys these themes through the subjects in his paintings – young gay men. “Remove the gender of the painting’s subjects and what we have is human relationships in general, and one’s relationship to the world itself,” he said. “As a homosexual, I have been moved, educated and inspired by works that deal with a heterosexual context. Why would I assume that a heterosexual would be incapable of appreciating work that speaks to common themes in life, as seen through my eyes as a gay man?” If the heterosexual population is unable to do this, the the loss is theirs, not mine” If Walker were an abstract painter or a landscape artist, he said his sexual orientation wouldn’t matter. But since his paintings are about gay life, his sexual orientation became more important than his cultural background, age or nationality.
The focus of his paintings often depicted sadness and loneliness to reflect the reality that nuch of anyone’s life is sad and lonely. Walker often portrayed people in relationships as separate entities because that is the way he viewed them. He also used a small and consistent palette of colors becanuse he was comfortable with them and the colors provided the desired results. “Color is very powerful and little can go a long way if used effectively,” he said. “Some colors are very exciting to me, while others are quite offensive. Painting flesh is very exciting because of huge variations possible within a very small color range.” Walker’s artworks are very large, always measuring 36″ x 48″. he created large paintings because he believed that a large image is more appealing than a smaller one. ” Whether it’s a television screen, cinema screen, or an image in a magazine, the size of the image connotates a degree of importance, ” he said. Walker said belonging to an oppressed minority group had been a driving force in creating his art. “Any minority wants and needs to find artistic voices that reflect their own personal situations, and, in doing so, validate and record their lives and cultures for themselves, and for the larger world,” he said. Walker said he experienced many small rewards during the creative process. “After hours of painting, I stand back and look at something that wasn’t there before…a hand, face, or piece of fabric will exist where the once was a blank canvas.” he said.
As an artist, Walker said it was exciting to be working at a point in history where there is an audience ready to appreciate and consume his creations. “It is very rare to find success as an artist in your lifetime,” he said. “My work will be around long after me, but seeing it affect people, at the time I am creating it, is very rewarding.” In recent years, Steve Walker’s works has been exhibited in galleries in Toronto, Montreal, Los Angeles, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Key West , Provincetown and Tampa/ St. Petersburg. The gay community of North America has responded very positively to Walker’s art. “I am very aware pf the appreciation from a group of people who recognize the time, energy and talent devoted to a body of work that speaks specifically to them but at the same time exists in the larger world that we all live in.”

Hi Carrie & Mark –

First let me thank you both for all you did to make the Winter Conference as sucessful as it was!  It’s great to have the partnership we have together!

As per our conversation this morning, attached is a picture taken at the Sunday Farewell Brunch, which was sponsored by Alex Sink and Bill McBride, along with the Blue Dog Bistro in Centro Ybor, GaYBOR Member.  In the picture, from left to right – former Orange County Commissioner Linda Stewart, Democratic Candidate for Florida State Senate, District 19 –  former Orlando Police Chief Val Demings, Democratic Candidate for US Congress – former Democratic Candidate for Florida Governor Alex Sink – President Sally L. Phillips, Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus.

If you need any additional info, please let me know.

Greetings,

Some of you have expressed concern (mostly positive) about the RNC (Republican National Convention) coming to Tampa in August, and how it could affect Ybor City. You have mentioned TPD (and other organizations) conducting a meeting for all YCBW members in the near future…..for informational purposes. My goal will always be to create opportunities for the YCBW members to know what’s happening in their community.

I will be glad to organize this event, only if there is support for the idea…(no reason having a meeting that no one attends) .

So please reply and let me know if this is something you would like….just respond “yes” or “not interested”.

Thanks and Be Safe!

Officer Sean Mahabir
Ybor City Liaison
Tampa Police Department – District III
3808 N. 22nd Street
Tampa, FL. 33610
Main (813) 242-3800
Cell (813) 480-1272
Fax (813) 242-3848
Email sean.mahabir@tampagov.net

Greetings Everyone!

With ALandCHUCK.Travel You Are Going to Get Much More For Less…GUARANTEED!