by Deanna Byck
images by Bryan Smith
Stephen Teuscher and I are in his studio space discussing a favorite painting he created called
“Amrita“
Amrita, in Hindu mythology (Ambrosia in other mythologies) refers not only to the nectar of the Gods providing immortality, but also the mythological notion of churning the oceans releasing the “amṛta” (the nectar) in its free-flowing form. It is considered one of the treasures of the world as it satisfies “hunger” and sets one free from birth, aging, disease, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, despair and death. And like Stephen’s painting of the same name, it occupies mindfulness of the body.
It’s a way of connecting with the universe, and what’s going on in the world.”
Stephen Teuscher
“When I painted it, I had little or no understanding of what it was,” Stephen explained. “I knew some of the main Gods, but nothing about the ‘creative life energy’ or the ‘life force creation’. All I knew was there was a big war in the sea, and the conflict had to happen in
order for the ‘life force creation’ to take place.” Like most of his artwork in both mediums of painting and glass, Stephen has no preconceived notion of what the final piece will become. He considers himself a spectator, believing the work, theme and nature of the piece will eventually appear – almost as if he were a visitor witnessing the process.
“I was showing what later became titled Amrita in my gallery – it was brand new – fresh off the rack, and a friend who happened to be Hindu came in and exclaimed ‘Holy amazing craziness! You painted all the Sea Gods!’” Stephen asked his friend to tell him more. She went on to explain exactly what she was experiencing in the mythology of the painting. Then he did the research and came up with the name. It was after the fact. “That’s what I mean. Half the time I don’t even know what I’m doing, and then the education comes through the research. Finally, I understand what is appearing to me. It happens quite often – which is really great because if I’m doing my job well, I’m just a visitor,” he explained.
Standing by painting: Nature’s Leatherman
We circle back to Amrita with its myriad Gods and Goddesses, fish-scales, dragons and even seahorses. In addition to the complexity and swirls of greens, crashing blue oceans and the red blood of war, are hints of Northwestern Native art. “That shows up a lot too,” Stephen told me, “the graphic nature shows up and will be really bold.” I sense he is channeling his paintings when things “show up” for him. “And the seahorses,” I ask him, “what is it about the seahorses?” “I have an affinity for seahorses. I am a father who raised his children as the primary caregiver, and it’s the male seahorses that give birth to their offspring,” Stephen told me. “Female seahorses lay the eggs in the pouch of the males, and the males give birth and raise the babies.”
Prepping and connecting with the canvas
Stephen speaks in an accent that is half southern drawl and half western — unhurried and deliberate — waiting for me to pull thoughts from his mind the same way he expects work to “show up” on the canvas. It is a relaxed process that allows for a leisure dialog and contemplation of ideas and art. Stephen has a spiritual connection to his art that is grounded in what he describes to me as “ritualized process.” It is an outlet for growth techniques that are outside the box. For Stephen, it begins with the way he preps his canvas. He calls it his “religion” beginning with the stretching of the canvas, clearing his mind, and preparing to be a participant in what will be “born and fabulous”. He just tries to “get out of the way” when it’s is happening. It’s his way of connecting with the Universe and what’s going on in the world. “If I connect with what’s going on with me it could make a mess of things,” he half jokes.
Seahorses appear once again
What transpired in his first series, with no agenda or preconceived notions, were African Animals. I asked him where it came from, and without revealing the origin of the thought, Stephen explained that the first painting of the series took him to the birth of our existence. “Essentially it (the painting) showed me where it was from. It was a big elephant pushing a tree with human beings in the top of it. In the scenario, I saw the birth of mankind on this planet,” Stephen said. “You hear all sorts of different theories, but I went with this one. Twenty-four paintings came out of that series.” Even though he had never been to Africa, most people who had said he “nailed it.” All the images had energies of the different animals, but they still weren’t based in realism, they were just highly recognizable. How he works today is the same, he lets the artwork guide him.
Stephen has been creating art all his life. He received his first set of oil colors when he was five years old—a gift from his mother. He has been making a living from his art since he was in his twenties. Stephen’s work has evolved from landscapes and wildlife when he was young; to realism in his late teens and college; to layered/lost imagery, abstracts in his late 20’s and 30’s; to the more spiritual surrealism that we see today. It has always been an outlet for him for growth and spiritual technique working outside the box of realism.
Around seven years ago, he began sharing studio space with three other artists whose work is based in glass. They were creating energy with glass day and night. These artists are the top in their field and just by being exposed to them, Stephen was hooked. He worked hours on end “absorbing” information and learning techniques as fast as he could. He learned how to manipulate glass and to grasp the science behind it. As with so many other things in his life, he was able to “gel with the materials and understand them.” Stephen told me it was difficult to learn what he did in a short period of time, but he has an affinity for materials and glass. “Where so many people try and try and struggle to understand glass, right out of the get go I said, ‘I’m going to do this’. So, I just did it, and it worked.”
I asked Stephen what he liked most about working in glass rather than painting, and he told me, “It’s like my work in 3-D! There’s something about glass, it’s magical – the translucency and light go places in glass that is different than other sculpture. The light quality allows us to see deeper inside than its own manifestation.” He went on to explain, “Glass sculpture is organic, but the chemistry has to be spot on or you fail. There is mystery behind glass. You want to dive in like a pool – even opaque dark pieces — you want to dive in, and the depth is brilliant.”
Ether and Air
Ether and Air mandalas in wall panel. Table with glass inlays in center.
Fire 
Water 
Earth
Ghosting Ice 
Horus
(in front of its foam model)
IMAGES IN A GLASS
It’s true, Stephen’s glass work is like juicy exotic nectars creating translucent molten planets and the cosmos. As with his two dimensional work, it highlights his connection to the notion of creation and connection to “Gods”, the celestial worlds, and the spirituality of his work. When I ask him about the relationship, he says it’s all part of unexpected connection to the basis of the world we live in. He finds it interesting because a lot of his
work has a primal aspect to it. Stephen explained, “We are it, we are the creators. We are a big integral factor in the whole system as human beings and our relationship to the Universe. That’s it.”
Stephen Teuscher carrying the form model for Horus.
He creates the models in foam. This allows him to create other molds for casting in bronze, faux marble or glass.
He continued, “For me the work is highly spiritual. It’s telling the same stories in a different manner. And the myths I create give everyone else a lead in the story; or a place to start. On some primordial level I would hope that they would get the work – the creative aspect of my process and how I am aligned with my work. I feel the work stands out on its own.”
There is a distinct relationship between light and glass. Stephen is currently starting to produce a series combining glass and painting. Each piece will have both elements – creating layered imagery with the use of light. It is two-dimensional work that converts into three-dimensional concepts. It is complex and rich with swirling colors and the use of light to highlight galaxies of glass on a background of layered mythological concepts. The result is an ever-changing transformation that can hold one’s attention for hours as they contemplate their place in the Universe. In the mixed media work “The Juggler”, Stephen’s central character is actually tossing back-lit glass spheres. Manipulated by remote control, the light changes colors and continues to move.
Like The Juggler, there is something about Stephen Teuscher’s art that is constantly moving and changing – exposing us to glimpses of another more divine place. “Art becomes an insight into people and their lives because they get lost in it and see so many different things,” Stephen told me. That is Stephen’s world. “I try to create ‘clouds’ for adults – like when we were kids and would stare at clouds, and we would share what we saw. We would sit and watch them grow and morph into other things… I could spend days and days – my whole lifetime doing that. Oh wait, I do! That is what I spend my whole lifetime doing.”
Oil and acrylic paint with half inch thick glass medallions slumped into half round balls;
on 96”x72” 3/4” wood paneling substrate “reminiscent of the wood paneling I grew up
with where I honed my marble playing skills” Stephen shares. Lighting with RGB LEDs.
Visit Stephen’s website
www.teuscherart.com