Steve Wallis Teaching Bio

Born in 1957, in South Boston Mass. Steve Wallis started his journey into the art world at a very young age. His parents noticed early on that Steve had art skills that they were not aware of. With his family not coming from an art background, they were not sure what to do about his abilities. Steve showed strong interests in drawing and painting in his youth. They decided to let his abilities grow and hopefully he would find some direction in the coming years.

Years later, as a student in high school, is where Steve was exposed to art from his teacher, Carolyn Whitehead. She realized that Steve had talent and vision that no others possessed in her classrooms. He found art to be a natural way of sharing his visions with others. While in high school Steve became well known as an artist with a mission. It was during these years that Steve’s abilities to create beautiful paintings and drawings took form. As a junior in high school Steve was awarded a first place finish from Scholastic Art Magazine for one of his works that used an old world art form, “Pointillism”. He also won regional and National awards for his work.

Steve excelled in working with many types of media, and found that he loved working with mediums that were not so popular and were very time consuming. At this time Steve spent most of his time working on commission artwork for clientele that wanted to collect his work.

After many years working in the fine art world Steve shifted gears and found that being a creative painter and working on large scale projects in homes and businesses is where he finds his true reason to create works of art. He has now moved from the canvas and drawing board onto walls larger than any canvas he has undertaken. After being introduced into the world of faux painting he has excelled even more. By working in beautiful homes Steve has found a nitch as well to also promote his fine art while on location. Steve often hears from his clients “It’s a nice feeling to know that I have an artist painting my home”. It’s a part of his sales pitch, to show clients that he has abilities to complete finishes that most painters will not take the time to accomplish. This is what sets Steve apart from most other painters that he has encountered.

“All of my clients are my friends now”. Steve’s ability to connect and converse with people is also a god given talent. Clients love to work with him. Easy going and flexible are his trademarks. His ability to take ideas and put them into many art forms is what really makes his clients the happiest. After all, the client’s wishes are what are important. Being able to deliver them is what makes Steve one of the most sought after creative painters in the U.S.

His work has taken him from Florida to Maui. He currently has ongoing projects throughout the U.S. and abroad. Steve has now taken his abilities to a new level.

While taking a class at the Decorative Finishes Studio in Louisville Ky. with Martin Alan Hirsch, Steve was exposed to another art form; woodgraining and marbling. Here he saw the sample boards from an artist that taught at Martin’s school, Mike Macneil.

Mike’s work totally amazed Steve and he knew that he wanted to pursue this type of painting. After researching Mike Macneil, Steve realized that Mike is the only practicing “Freeman of the Trade” left in the western hemisphere of the world. Steve knew that Mike was the teacher that he wanted to teach him this old art form. If you want to learn something, than learn it from the best, was Steve’s father’s motto.

A few months later Steve was able to take Mike Macneil’s class at the Decorative Finishes Studio in Louisville Ky. Steve and Mike hit it off right away. Mike has been a good friend and mentor ever since.

The ability to replicate many types of woodgrains, marbles and precious stones has taken Steve’s business to another level. After completing Mike’s first class, Steve landed a project replicating a rare Hawaiian wood, Koa Wood, throughout a private residence in Maui. This is a wood that is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. After talking with Mike about the project Steve was fortunate enough to convince Mike to come and work for him on the project. After all working in Maui was not a hard sell! Mike came over and worked for 8 days out of the total 19 weeks that Steve was there.

It was during this time with Mike that Steve learned more than he could have ever learned in a classroom environment. Working on a project with a teacher with such credentials was a true blessing. According to Mike, Steve learned in 8 days what would have taken him 10 years on his own.

While working on the project Steve met local Hawaiians who praised him for having the ability to reproduce one of their most precious commodities, Koa Wood, with paints. “Builders and designers came over to see what I was doing.” They had never seen anyone do what I was doing.

Steve decided to take his woodgraining talents to another level so he took another class with Mike Macneil learning advanced levels of woodgraining and marbling. “Mike taught me so much that I have to give him all of the credit.”

Since then Steve has worked on many types of surfaces to replicate many types of woods, marbles and precious stones. From columns, fireplaces, cabinet doors and furniture Steve has replicated many types of woodgrains, marbles and precious stones.

Over time Steve has taken what he learned from Mike Macneil and other teacher’s techniques to develop his own style of woodgraining and marbling.

His ability to teach the art form has now come to the forefront. “It is time for me to share with others the abilities that I have obtained from some of the most talented artists in the world.”
Steve Teaches the basics of wood graining and marbles along with advanced classes of techniques as well.
You need to know the basics before you go on to the advanced levels.

These advanced levels include book-matching and butter-flying and inlay processes.
You will also learn the technique to “dissect woods that you need to match to”. This is one area that will help you to develop your skills and give yourself an edge over other woodgrainers.

Its one thing to produce a woodgrain finish; its another to be able to correctly match an existing wood that may be hundreds of years old.