Stephen Bellinger Art After Cancer Overcoming Death to Give More Beauty and Life to Laguna

Interior entryway mural works on stucco by Stephen Bellinger will be featured at the Art Hotel, 1404 N. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3.

Stephen, a professional Master Artist who specializes in several styles: surrealistic, realistic, psychedelic, classical, and regionalist will be available for a Meet and Greet. His work encompasses Contemporary, Abstract Expressionism . to High Renaissance styles.

His talent was evident at a very young age. Having grown up in the metropolitan Kansas City Missouri Kansas area (Mission, Kansas), he had opportunity to meet a very highly regarded international American Regionalist artist who saw in him a unique ability. At only age 7, he received encouragement from that famous Kansas City artist, Thomas Hart Benton. (His abilities were evident at a young age)

From the time he was only four years old, the qualifying age to be able to attend the Kansas City famed Nelson-Atkins-Rockhill Museum of Art courses, he did so. (Age4-7) A terribly tragic event in his young life occurred when he was only 9. He sustained life-threatening injuries when burned , going into and out of several comas. He recalls having wakened just long enough during one of these incidents to assure his grieving mother (a nurse herself, who understood the gravity of Steve’s extremely tentative health circumstance). He remembers hearing his mother crying, and he wakened from coma saying, “Don’t worry, Mom. I’m not going to die. But they tell me I have to go back now ” He has had a deep understanding of life’s beauty, fragility, and he always says, “I want to make the world a more beautiful place.”

He attended the University of Kansas when it was ranked 8th in the United States, having just procured many of the key professors previously from the internationally known Kansas City Art Institute. So, his understanding of art was both broad and detailed. Steve received extensive training and was never afraid to “buck” certain constraints regarding art as a study. Rather, he relied on instinct, intellect, observation and mathematical, as well as creative and perspective skills, and his talent to guide him.

A.A. Art History; B.F.A. Visual Communications, M.F.A. Painting; Post Graduate Final Apprentice prior to Temporley Newton’s retiring, as he told Steve, “I want to share all my knowledge before I die. You are the best trained apprentice I have ever had. You came to me well prepared.”

Fine Canvas Art Painting (Oil and Acrylic) are his specialty. Decorative Art, such as Mural and Trompe L’Oeille; Faux Finishing, Theatrical Set Design and Production; Signs, Original Advertising Artwork and Poster and Music CD Art works are ways he has succeeded as a working artist. With his health decline in 2007 and 2008, his partner suggested he go to the doctor. Her fears were founded. In July 2008, Steve was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocitic Leukemia. His treatments began within the next week, as the oncologist staged his cancer at 4, near death. His final treatment was on Christmas Eve, 2008. In January, 2009, he learned that he and his partner/agent were featured in Sundance Film Festival in STAY THE SAME NEVER CHANGE. Marcia (a KU graduate, also--Voice) is the lead adult female actress and sings a solo. Stephen is the mouse exterminator Both provide comedic relief. (www.STSNC.com). Likewise, he and Marcia, his partner, are featured in their latest premier feature length film, BERDELLA; (www.bobberdella.com) September, 10th 2009.

Steve is multi-talented, as he composes music and lyrics, plays both bass and guitar. He works with his partner on projects such as art murals, faux finishing, composing and performing music, to film acting. Marcia took care of him during his cancer treatments, helped him gain film roles, and acts and sings, as well as providing Stephen artist agency.

Photo: Marcia Trayford

Copyright 2009 Marcia Trayford