Artists Bio / Art Shop / Works in Progress / Public Art / Sculpture / Stained Glass / Watercolors / Acrylics / Mixed Medium / Pen and Ink / Cartoon / Comics / Steampunk / Art of Engineering / Video Portfolio
“Art is not just something one does, but a way of life,
and one’s life should be a work of art.”
Biography
Stefan H. Verstappen, born 1957, Toronto, Canada, is a classical Renaissance man and autodidact.
As a writer he has written dozens of articles for prominent magazines and has published 8 non-fiction books on subjects ranging from Chinese military history, to anarchy and social justice, to Zen for the blind.
As a musician he can play four instruments and has performed in school orchestras, blue grass trios, and rock bands across North America and even Taiwan.
Since he first backpacked through Europe at age 16, Stefan has traveled the world, climbed mountains, rode elephants, and danced under the moonlight with Shamans in the jungles of Laos. A Wu Li Master, he studied martial arts in China for four years.
An avid outdoors-man and graduate from a 3 year Outward Bound program, he worked as a wilderness survival instructor in Algonquin Park.
It was while soloing through Algonquin Park at age 15 that Stefan first discovered the art of Tom Thompson which inspired his lifelong passion for art. In the 45 years since, Stefan has produced hundreds of works in over 8 mediums ranging from pen& ink illustration, stained glass, watercolors, acrylic on canvas, foam and Papier Mache sculpture to public art murals and interactive installations.
Stefan believes that art is not just something one does, but a way of life, and that one’s life should be seen as a work of art.
Intrigued by the sense of synesthesia, Stefan has been creating public art installations that combine multiple mediums of sound, light, and design.
Public Art
2015, Tri-Monic: Interactive sound and light sculpture, IgNIGHT Art Festival, Ft MacMurray, Alberta
2015, Tri-Monic: Interactive sound and light sculpture, Scotiabank Nuit Blanche International Arts Festival, Toronto, Ontario
2015: Walk around the block, Acrylic paint on public utility box, StART Outside the Box, Toronto, Ontario
2008, Tubular Zen, Interactive sound and light installation, Ventura, California
2008, Chinese Treasure Box, Acrylic paint on public utility box, Ventura’s Streetscape Project, Ventura, California
Group Exhibitions
2009, Art City, Ventura Artwalk Festival, Ventura, California
2003, Wind and Water, mixed medium, East of Eden, Arts & Asian Show, Gallery 182, Los Angeles, California
1983, Two Lands Views of Asia, acrylic on canvas, A-Space Studios, Toronto
1982, Gingerbread, Victorian country homes in watercolor, Kleinberg Gallery, Kleinberg, Ontario,
Awards
2014, Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Artwork, Mayor and City Counsel of the City of San Buenaventura, California
Publications
2008 – Have You Seen This?, The Ventura Breeze, by Tim Pompey, Ventura, California
2008 – CNN Reports on Tubular Zen, Time Warner Cable , reporter Phil Taggart, , Ventura, California
2007 – Chinese Treasure Box Radio Interview, KCLU Radio, Santa Barbara, reporter Lance Werosko, California
2008 – Secrets of Chinese Business Etiquette, Shanghai Star Business Journal, by Erick Peterson, Shanghai, China,
2007 – Perfectly Suited; When in China. Executive Travel Magazine, by Stan Williams, New York, NY, September
2004 – Radio Interview: Blind Zen, The Talking Book Radio, reporter Mark Vidas, Network. Minneapolis
1999 – Author Travels East for Ancient Strategy, Richmond Hill Post, by Perlita Ettedgui, , Richmond Hill, Ontario,
1988 – Stefan Verstappen, The Many Adventures of this Amazing Man, Bolton Enterprise Magazine, by Bill Whitbread, , Bolton, Ontario
1985 – Multi-Talented Artist Hard At Work, Caledon Citizen by Bill Rea, , Caledon, Ontario,
Recent Commissions
2014 – Pagoda, pen and ink illustration, Joe Fresh spring fashion line, Toronto, Ontario
2012 – Flintstones, Foam sculpture, Van Der Graff, Brampton, Ontario
2012 – Global Warrior, Book cover painting, H.J. Poole publications, Dallas, Texas,
Watch Stefan’s TV interview talking about his art installation Tubular Zen.