1957 – At age 12 awarded Los Angeles County Schools scholarship to “Otis Art Institute”
1966 thru 1967 – Attended “Art Center College of Design”, at that time located in Los Angeles
1968 – Co-founded California’s Laguna Beach “Sawdust Festival”
1988 – “Guest Artist”, Estes Native American Art Show, Boulder, Colorado
1989 – Published – Third Quarter, National Sculpture Society’s “Sculpture Review”
1991 – Published -June-July, International Fine Art Collector, feature article –
“Sculpture from the healing hands of Steven Kensrue”
2002 – “Guest Artist”, Sawdust Art Festival, Laguna Beach, California
“Art Business News” – Sculpture Choice, several years running
Numerous mentions in articles by “Wildlife Art News”
Permanent Collection “San Bernardino County Museum”
Permanent Collection (complete body of works), “Clifton Steamboat Museum” Beaumont Texas
“Shelburne Museum” Vermont, acquired rights to “Golden Eagle Bust”
Permanent Collection “Jung Bronze Museum”, NY
Steven Kensrue has been represented by many galleries over the years including the Addi Galleries.
His Studios have been featured in “Northwest Magazine” and “Money” magazine.
“Best in Show” and “First in Sculpture” Western and Wildlife Minneapolis Art Show.
2008 – “Best Overall” Elite Salon International Painting Competition.
Biography
Born in 1945 in Southern California, Steven Kensrue grew up surfing, catching wildlife (falconry) and drawing profusely. Early on he was inspired by John James Audubon and Fuentes’ detailed illustrations of birds. By age thirteen his talents were recognized with a scholarship to the renowned Otis Art Institute. This Academy of fine art would set the tone for Kensrue’s classical approach to his art.
1953
1956
1957
1958
1960
1960
Roadster built during 1961-64
In 1966 at age twenty-one he was accepted into Art Center College of Design, at that time located in Los Angeles and still to this day considered the finest design school on the planet. The quality of instruction was superb and classic in approach. After the first Month his design instructor pulled him aside and stated, “No matter what we try to teach you here, don’t let us change that thing you do.” At the top of his class in all drawing and painting classes Kensrue thrived in this environment. His life drawing Instructor, Glen Villpuu was a significant influence with his incredible talent in drawing.
1965
1965
Ingres
Ingres
Ingres
Examples from a first semester assignment at age twenty-one to make copies of Old Master’s drawings with emphasis on line character.
1967 – Life Drawing
Perspective 1, 1966
1969
In 1968 Kensrue moved to Laguna Beach, where in this renowned art colony he would become one of the founding artists of the ever popular Sawdust Art Festival. He would later return to this venue in 2002 as the Guest Artist.
1968
Seven Sacred Pools 1970
1975
From 1976 to 1983 He worked building a prototype, dual-place motorglider. The fuselage and twenty-seven foot long “plug” were designed and sculpted by Steven Kensrue.
This mammoth project involved constructing a seventy-two foot long, three-piece aluminum wing of incredibly close tolerances.
MSK 1 Dual-Place Motorglider
Design for dual-place controls
Lady with Braids
He immediately followed this up with a design of his own, titled “Lady with Braids” modeled for by Christina Cervantes whom he would later marry in 1983. Kensrue discovered that sculpting came as naturally to him as drawing always had. This realm of creating dimensionally enthralled him for the next twenty years.
Christina
First Sculpting Attempt from Mucha
Detail (Hibiscus) work in progress 1976
Alternate design study 1975
Throughout his life Kensrue has enjoyed drawing and designing cars. This
is a caricature for bodywork and aerodynamics for a Datsun 240 Z 1976.
Design for “Crane Prairie” Bald Eagle
Design for “Over/Under” Peregrine/swallows
“Over/Under” clay work in progress 1994
Untitled, clay 1982
Fifteen hour days were the norm in the studio at Sunriver, Oregon from 1985-1997.
Sunriver studio 1993 “Cloud Dancer”
“Working with clay is like molding a living substance” states Kensrue, “Personally I prefer seeing my creations in clay more than their cast bronze counterparts. One color, pure form, in light and shadow, the essence of sculpture.”
“Whitewater Warriors” in progress 1995
Rebecca
Work in progress “The Crossing”
In 1999 Steven and his family moved to Cambria, California, The southern gateway into the Big Sur region of the central coast.
Illustrations from children’s book 1993
SKC 1 mid-engined concept
Many articles have been published about his works; i.e. International Fine Art Collector, the National Sculpture Society’s Sculpture Review”, Art Business News and Wildlife Art News to name but a few. His Studios have been featured in Northwest and Money magazines. He has been represented by numerous galleries over the years including the prestigious Addi Galleries. Upon moving to Cambria Kensrue turned his considerable talents to painting, the one medium he had not seriously pursued since Art Center College of Design.
In October of 2007 Steven and Christina traveled to Paris, France. The inspiration he found in the museums of that city had a profound effect on him. Upon returning home he switched to painting with oils on oil primed Belgium linen. Not only did he switch mediums but returned to his portrait and figurative work of thirty years past, and sculpting.