When you walk through the doors of the Bittersweet Creative Arts Studio, one thing is guaranteed: you will find Steve in his corner painting nook. He spends his days there creating, surrounded by the sound of his favorite music, gallery walls covered with his bold, colorful paintings, and his beloved tea station a few short steps away.
Steve was one of the students in Bittersweet founder Bettye Ruth Kay's classroom. More than 40 years ago, Steve and Bettye Ruth's other students inspired her to dream bigger and build a place where her students' future dreams could become realities. As one of our first residents, Steve has called Bittersweet "home" for four decades, and for all those years, he has been one of the core creative forces at the Farm.
Over the years, art has been Steve's singular focus, and he has dedicated his life to painting in particular. His medium of choice is acrylic on canvas, and he loves to paint animals of all kinds. His first choice is "owls," followed by a trio of farmstead favorites: "cows, pigs...and ducks!" This year, Steve's decades of dedication paid off with an invitation from the Toledo Lucas County Public Library for a solo art exhibition at the Sanger Branch featuring a commissioned series of owl paintings.
Steve spent the winter months studying different types of owls in preparation for his exhibition. In the spring, he painted all different kinds of owls, from barn owls to snowy owls. Finally, in June, Steve spread his wings, sharing his works of art with the community through a month-long exhibition at the Sanger Branch.
Bittersweet Creative Arts Specialist, Melanie Sears, shared that this exhibition was not only a dream come true for Steve, but a vehicle for his growth. "It was wonderful to watch Steve's independence evolve through this project and to empower him to take initiative in deciding what to paint, the medium, colors, and design. This is what individualized, person-centered care and support looks like, and I'm so glad he was able to experience this special recognition of his talent and hard work."
Best of all, when the Bittersweet Creative Arts Team visited Steve's exhibition together, Steve wasn't the only one whose pride was evident; his fellow artists beamed with joy to see their friend's work recognized in the community. More than 40 years later, Steve is still inspiring big dreams, this time as a role model for his peers, igniting their passion for art and demonstrating the magnitude of what is possible.
