mountain talk

by Chris O’Connor

A Sketch of An Artist

Artists are visual historians with the ability to record, enhance, or influence the human condition with a variety of media—paints, charcoal, pencil, pen, ink—on a variety of surfaces, from cave walls to homes to houses of worship to the polished corridors of galleries all over the globe. Steve Burdette is one of those artists. The artist who greeted me from his front porch the day of my visit was an affable guy, making me laugh within moments of meeting, and quite often throughout our meeting, as he recounted many anecdotes. He was introspective, too; at junctures in our conversation, he yielded to a more serious tone while commiserating about current events. As I was going through his prints, he took time to explain the painting techniques he had used in one piece or another. He even waxed poetic about his granddaughter’s use of color when they spend time together painting in his workspace.  Originally hailing from the rolling farm country of Damascus, Maryland, Steve Burdette spent his formative years instilled with a sense of wonder and appreciation of nature—the outdoors and architecture reflected in his art. Steve and his wife Kathy have three adult children, two grandchildren, and a grandchild on the way. He and Kathy reside in Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania. Steve remains a working artist, with an extensive and varied portfolio of oils and watercolors and other media. Many works in progress rest around his home studio.   A painting I’m looking forward to seeing upon its completion is of Steve’s mom in her garden. He credits her for recognizing his artistic nature when he was just a child, and saving money earned from babysitting to pay Charles Jones, a Damascus, Maryland, art instructor, under whom Steve studied for fourteen years. The body of Steve’s work has something for everyone. There are landscapes and architecture, including a multitude of barns and rural outbuildings. There are tractors, and my personal favorites: the florals and the paper birch trees and creeks in all seasons. Some of Steve’s most evocative works are renderings of his vision of the Battle of Monterey Pass in Blue Ridge Summit. It occurred as the Confederate soldiers were in retreat, following the Battle of Gettysburg. I first saw prints of Steve’s works, including the Battle of Monterey Pass, at the Martin House Bed and Breakfast, although he has had exhibits at venues such as the Weinberg Center for the Arts in Frederick, Maryland. Lynn and Duke Martin, owners of Martin House Bed and Breakfast, proudly display and market prints of Steve’s art at their Bed and Breakfast. After seeing Steve’s art, I was truly looking forward to meeting the artist who exhibited such a wide range of skill, style, and creativity. For the Battle of Monterey Pass, Steve spent hours on the old Maria Furnace Road that runs into the forest behind the new museum at Monterey Pass Battlefield Park. He imagined the wagon train of defeated Confederates, many already mortally wounded during battle at Gettysburg, sustaining an attack by Union soldiers. He envisioned the darkness, lightening, thunder, and blinding rain. In his mind’s eye, Steve saw that horrible night and painted what he imagined. Generally, the artistic process for Steve may be the stereotypical one of an artist setting up outdoors and, weather permitting, sketching or painting away. But Steve often asks his wife Kathy, a talented photographer in her own right, to snap scenes or subjects he wants to paint that she later downloads onto the computer.  He then sketches the image from the screen and later paints from his sketch. Steve has enjoyed the support and encouragement of his wife, Kathy, and their three adult children.                                                                                                                                       At one time, they also had a gallery at Tracey’s Corner in Blue Ridge Summit that they decided to close during the nation’s economic downturn. It may have been a blessing in disguise, actually benefiting Steve’s creativity and, ultimately, all who love and appreciate his art. He believes an artist may overlook a beautiful subject because it may not “sell,” and considers that the demise of art. As the gallery doors drifted to a close, Steve felt his joy of creativity revived and renewed. He felt free to paint subjects that made him happy, rather than subjects he felt compelled to paint to fulfill market demands. This artist wears yet another other hat, or two. Steve grew up a firearms enthusiast with his brother, but he put up his guns to gather cobwebs after his brother passed away. But one day Steve decided to remember the years of gun training he had enjoyed with his brother, and chose to carry on their shared legacy and bond, forged in guns and marksmanship.  Steve and Kathy joined a gun club, where they can utilize the shooting range; Steve often forays into the deep woods to shoot targets, while stealthily trekking through the timber. He tells of being “unfriended” on social media by some that are averse to his gun totin’ ways. But what an image: a guy in full camo, armed with a  30.06 rifle, juxtaposed to the same man who can paint a soft pink apple blossom in watercolors, or capture the facets of sparkling freshly fallen snow on the forest floor. Last but not least, the artist and marksman is also a man of deep faith. Steve Burdette is a pastor of a non-denominational church, conducting Sunday service at his and Kathy’s home. He also frequently visits other churches to share his ministry. He is the proverbial “man for all seasons,” a man of faith who treasures his wife and family, and the great outdoors that has inspired his art. Steve’s art will be showcased at the Mountaintop Community Spring Fair on Saturday, March 21, 2015, at Blue Ridge Summit Fire Hall in Blue Ridge Summit, from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

Pictured is artist Steve Burdette.