Select Gallery Exhibits
The Wood Merchant - LaConner, Washington
Artemis Gallery - Apalachicola, Florida
Random Acts of Art - Naples, Florida
Lansing Art Gallery - Lansing, Michigan
Three Pines Studio - Cross Village, Michigan
Crooked Tree Art Center - Petoskey, Michigan
Einerlei - Chassell, Michigan
Painted Bird Gallery - Suttons Bay, Michigan
Copper Country Community Arts Center - Hancock, Michigan
Copper Country Associated Artists - Calumet, Michigan
Marquette Arts and Culture Center - Marquette, Michigan
The Island Gallery - Bainbridge Island, Washington
Silver Crow - Marquette, Michigan
Juried Shows and Exhibitions
Arts, Beats & Eats, Pontiac, Michigan, September 08
Suttons Bay Art Fest, Suttons Bay, Michigan, July 07-08
Peace River Art Festival, Punta Gorda, Florida, March 08
Bonita Springs National Art Fest, Bonita Springs, Florida, March 08
Naples National Art Fest, Naples, Florida, February 08
Boca Grande Art & Wine Fest, Boca Grande, Florida, March 08
Lincolnshire Art Festival, Lincolnshire, Illinois, June 07
Cantigny Fine Art & Scultpure Show, Wheaton, Illinois, June 07
Park Point Art Festival, Duluth, Minnesota, July 07 & 08
Rotary Sanibel-Captiva Art Fair, Sanibel Island, Florida, Feb 07 & 08
Fort Myers Art Fest, Fort Myers, Florida, Feb 07 & 08
One of a Kind Show and Sale Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, Dec 06 & 07
Copper Country Art Assoc. Show, Eagle Harbor, Michigan, Aug. 05 - 07
Audree Levy Invitational Art Show, Bay Harbor, Michigan, August 06
Artarama, Eagle River Wisconsin July 06, 07 & 08
Eagle Harbor Art Fair, Eagle Harbor, Michigan July 06-08
Art Fair On The Square, Madison, Wisconsin, July 06 & 08
Columbus Arts Festival, Columbus, Ohio, June 06
Bonifas Fine Arts Holiday Show, Escanaba, Michigan, Dec 05 & 06
Glacier Glide, Marquette, Michigan, Feb 05
Renaissance Art Fair, Charlevoix, Michigan, Sept 04 & 05
Art On The Rocks, Marquette, Michigan, July 02 – 08
Charlevoix Arts and Craft Show, Charlevoix, Michigan, July 02-04
Marquette Arts and Culture Show, Marquette, Michigan, Nov 04, 06-07
Copper Country Arts Poor Artists Show, Calumet, Michigan, Dec. 04 - 07
Northwoods Art Show, Marquette, Michigan, Sept. 03
Awards
Second Best of Show, Arts, Beats & Eats, Pontiac, Michigan, 2008
Best of Show, Suttons Bay Art Festival, Suttons Bay, Michigan, 2008
Collectors Circle Award, Peace River Art Fest, Punta Gorda, Florida, 2008
Second Best of Three Dimensional, Sanibel Island Art Fair, Sanibel Island, Florida, 2008
Merit Award, Lake View East Art Fest, Chicago, Illinois, 2007
Merit Award, Lincolnshire Art Festival, Lincolnshire, Illinois, 2007
Merit Award, Cantigny Fine Art & Sculpture Show, Wheaton, Illinois, 2007
Best of Three Dimensional, Sanibel Island Art Fair, Sanibel Island, Florida, 2007
Honorable Mention, Artarama, Eagle River, Wisconsin, 2007
Best of Wood, Art on the Rocks, Marquette, Michigan, 2006 & 2007
Best of Furniture, Art on the Rocks, Marquette, Michigan, 2004 & 2005
Second Best of Show, Glacier Glide, Marquette, Michigan, 2005
Artists Statement - Steven J. Uren
“Art is born of the observation and investigation of nature.” -Cicero
As a young child, I watched my grandfather craft wonderful pieces of artwork out of simple blocks of wood. I noticed the care that went into selecting a piece of wood and the love he put into each product. I shared the joy he found in simply walking through the woods and admiring the natural world. From this I drew my inspiration to become an artist, using wood to express my artistic self, as well as a love and respect of the natural world around me.
Nature, landscapes and the beauty of wood have shaped my work. A piece of art, dresser or table will grow out of, and be built around, a single piece of inspirational wood. The variety, uniqueness, depth and beauty of wood continue to be my driving force. I find just working with wood to be soothing and refreshing for my soul. It allows my artistic self to play and it serves as an endless source of inspiration for me.
I strive to create artwork out of the functional, beauty out of the mundane and something unique out of the common. My goal is to have each piece express great originality and absolute unmatched quality.
My love of the nature that surrounds me, the very woods that I grew up exploring with my grandfather, is what I hope comes flowing out of each piece of artwork I create.
I have been creating wood art for nearly twenty years. During that time it has evolved and grown. It is only in the past five that I have started to show and sell my work. I now participate in various art shows throughout the Midwest and create custom pieces by request throughout the year.