Sometimes It's the Little Things
The Warmer Side of Winter
Where the Light Shines Brightest
Cat's Lair
A Sense of Belonging
Steve Hanks was born in San Diego in 1949. His father's career as a Naval aviator including becoming an ace in World War II and flying with the Blue Angels led to the family moving frequently during Hanks' youth. When he was 16, his family moved to New Mexico causing him to be depressed about leaving his California friends. After a year, his self-imposed solitude locked in his room listening to music and drawing led him to decide to become an artist.
After graduating from high school, Hanks attended the University of California-Berkeley and the San Francisco Academy of Art before graduating from the California College of Arts and Crafts. After graduation, Hanks returned to New Mexico to begin his career. To pay the bills he took a job working as the caretaker for a girls’ camp for room, board and $75 per month. Since the job was not time-consuming Hanks had a lot of free time to work on his art.
When selling his art the dealers wanted him to focus on Indian art, since that was what sold best. Hanks was not happy painting that subject matter so he began painting the female figures for which he is best known. When the print market declined in the early 1980s, Hanks switched from oils to watercolors in order to be able to work faster.
Eventually Hanks realized that to be successful he would have to learn about the business of art. Borrowing money from a friend, he made trips to galleries around the country to see what was selling and to develop a market for his work. The gamble worked; he repaid the loan within two months and has been a successful artist ever since.
Hanks lives and works with his wife and children in Albuquerque, New Mexico.