Victor Denfrey Steele

10.12.2009

10.08.2009

9.12.2009

9.11.2009

New Images Coming Soon

Please note I have about 50 or 60 new images to post, I have been photographing them and will upload as I can. Thank you for visiting.

8.01.2009

Girl Reading

I am going to try and get a better image of this wonderful panting.

7.29.2009

On Saturday July 25th the Madison Artists Guild in Madison, GA celebrated the lives of four members who recently passed; Erik Baurose, Phil Neugebauer, Casey Jones, and Victor Steele. The theme was Celebrating Their Spirit and indeed was a wonderful celebration of the lives of these gentlemen, artists and beloved friends of the Morgan County community.
The Vic Steele Memorial Scholarship was presented to Madison High School grad Heidi Behrendsen who is attending college in the fall to study art.

Thank you Madison Artist Guild members for all your goodness and love for Erick Baurose, Phil Neugebauer, Casey Jones, and for my father Victor Steele.

5.02.2009

Dad, we miss you more than words.

4.04.2009

Marc Chatov

This painting my father did is of Marc Chatov of the wonderful Chatov family of artists. I am going to research the year and get back here to post that information.

3.09.2009

This is one of Dad's early paintings prior to his study under the Chatovs. I love this painting because it shows his own personal style before the influence of Russian Impressionistic technique. The photo is a little grainy, but still lovely enlarged.

1.10.2009

Buffy Miller

Ballerina Buffy Miller - around 1984 or 1986

Buffy went on to perform as a ballerina professionally as an adult. She still dances today.

12.20.2008

Merry Christmas, Dad.

10.11.2008

Nude on Gold Draped Table

Girl with White Rose

Strength and Excellence

8.15.2008

Click to Enlarge

Graphite Drawing

Feather in Cap

7.26.2008

Orange Robe

7.10.2008

Dressing

7.06.2008

Apples in Red Basket

7.02.2008

An Afternoon Nap

6.26.2008

Big 'un Little 'un

Oil on Canvas 14X18

6.24.2008

Masterful Drawer

Click on the image to view the detail in this drawing.

Victor was so good he took minimal time to execute a drawing.

6.22.2008

Morning Tea

2004 Oil on Canvas 24X20

6.20.2008

Victor Denfrey Steele 1937-2008

Victor is greatly missed.

Brief Bio:
Victor Denfrey Steele grew up in Haleyville, Alabama, loving three things; baseball, airplanes and art.
His first career was as a Marine Fighter Pilot. Throughout his exciting life in the Corps, and even while in Vietnam, he maintained his interest in drawing and painting. After retiring from the Marine Corps at age 42 as a Lieutenant Colonel, he began his second career in art. Vic studied for four years in Atlanta with the Chatovs - Roman, Constantin, and finally Roman's son Marc. Roman and Constantin, now deceased, were Russian immigrants "of the old school" who painted portraits of Georgia notables for decades, and are known for their elegant paintings of the nude figure.

Vic's work was heavily influenced by the Chatovs, but he evolved a slightly more impressionistic style. Vic's figures, landscapes, and still life paintings are realistic in shape, form, and value, although the intensity of his colors were exaggerated or muted to suit his purpose.

Photos and information will be added as time goes by.
June 23rd, 2008.

When Earth's last picture is painted
and the tubes are twisted and dried
When the oldest colors have faded
and the youngest critic has died
We shall rest, and faith, we shall need it
lie down for an aeon or two
'Till the Master of all good workmen
shall put us to work anew
And those that were good shall be happy
they'll sit in a golden chair
they'll splash at a ten league canvas
with brushes of comet's hair
They'll find real saints to draw from
Magdalene, Peter, and Paul
they'll work for an age at a sitting
and never be tired at all.
And only the Master shall praise us
and only the Master shall blame
And no one will work for the money
no one will work for the fame
But each for the joy of the working,
and each in his separate star,
will draw the thing as he sees it,
for the God of things as they are!

Rudyard Kipling

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .

Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

~ John Gilespie Magee, Jr.