The throng filtered past his stand on the crowded street. Somepointed and laughed at his work, while others took a close look tocatch the details and read the print on his drawings. Still othersengaged him in conversation about his works, his politics.
Steve Shepard displayed his political art at the Cooper-YoungFestival Saturday. If his work wasn't attacking President Bush, itwas attacking developers and Republicans in general.
"I don't care if I offend Bush supporters," he said.
Friends and peers cautioned him about his extreme politicalworks, Sheppard said. Some artists have been angry that he broughtpolitics into the various art festivals he's attended.
"I've gone all the way and it hasn't hurt me," Sheppardsaid.
Shepard hit the road to sell his artwork in 1992. Before thattime, he made his living on gallery sales. The Persian Gulf Warhurt those sales, he said, and forced him to the road, traveling tofestivals and contests nationally and internationally. Thepolitical bent he creates in his art is a recent inclination, buthe said he felt he had to do it.
He said his art conveyed his politics as far back as 1985. Then,he made references to Nixon, Andrew Jackson, Lincoln and alwaysanti-real estate developer commentary. This year was the first thathe used the word "Republican" in his work. He said he feels obligedto do this.
"I'm supposed to do this work," he said. "I feel just asstrongly about this as Republicans feel about making war onMuslims."
Sheppard said conservation has been a powerful theme in his workfrom the beginning. He began college with the intention of enteringthe field of marine biology and nature conservation is a logicalconcern for him. Ironically, he confesses, he found the biologicalfield too competitive and turned to art - which can be just ascompetitive.
Shepard said that most of his work is open for interpretation,but this recent political work is "cut and dry."
Shepard said he has drawn an audience wherever he's been andeven people who disagree are stopping to look at his work in thiselection year. He added that he doesn't mind speaking withRepublicans up to the point of anger.
"We live in sleepy times and anger is a legitimate emotion,"Shepard said.
University of Memphis art professor Greely Myatt looks at artwith such precise political inclinations skeptically.
Myatt said he doesn't argue whether or not the works are art,but said this kind of work is not metaphorical and open-ended. Itsintent runs the risk of becoming a "bumper sticker" and its preciseattacks won't transcend time, Myatt said.
"I prefer someone to convince me without me knowing," Myattsaid. "I suppose that's still sneaky."
Shepard doesn't agree. He said his work captures a moment inhistory, and some collectors appreciate this. He changed hissubject recently from Bush to Republicans because "Bush is such adetestable subject to my audience." Shepard said he came to theMemphis festival because he said he gets a warm reception here.
His work is done on paper darkened to red by watercolors. Hedraws everything in black ink and colors the pieces withPrismacolor Colored Pencils.
Shepard said he keeps his work abstract and notes that Van Goghand later untrained artists inspired him.
"I want to be unconventional," Shepard said.
He said he doesn't expect to change viewpoints of conservativesor Bush supporters - he isn't interested in changing thoseopinions. Shepard said he knows who his audience is, and everyonewho's bought his work thinks the same about Bush as he does.
"People can't relate to this Texas village idiot," he said.
