CityView Magazine

soldier’s canvas A By Eddie Dees B Top | Brian Steverson’s paintings range from impressionism to realism. Above | He may have the clean-cut looks of the soldier that he is, but the Fort Bragg paratrooper is also a talented artist. 22|April/May • 2009 rian Steverson freely admits that he is living the best of both worlds. A paratrooper at Fort Bragg, Steverson has the rugged looks and tough- guy persona of the former athlete that he is. But Steverson also has a softer side. The 47-year-old husband, father, soldier and sports lover is a professional artist. His paintings are evidence of another passion. “My father was a soldier who loved sports, and my mother was an artist who loved to paint,” Steverson says. “I’m not as good as either one of them, but I’m blessed to have some of each in me.” Steverson can’t remember a time in his life when he wasn’t heavily involved in both of his passions. He began drawing as soon as he “could pick up a pencil” and played sports “from the beginning.” He tackled his first painting at age 11, and he was a successful high school football player who taught tae kwon do for years. Steverson, who has had no formal training except for pointers from his mother, paints from pictures taken personally or by friends and from memory. His paintings range from realism to impressionism. He has done wall paintings as well as canvas works using what he calls an “oddball” way of painting. “I only use three colors beside black and white,” he says. “I only use red, blue and yellow, mixing those combinations until I find just the color combination I want.” A native of Florida, Steverson has been stationed at Fort Bragg since 2004. He recently began painting scenes of downtown Fayetteville. “I like the way the renovations are going,” he says.

• Cover