Throughout my life, I discovered that I noticed things that other people seemed to miss; discarded bits along the roadside creating textural compositions, intricate patterns woven within old peeling paint and rusty metal objects, or how pine cones and needles gathered in abstract clumps on the ground pushed together by the mountain breezes. I become entranced by the dynamic patterns of waves on sand, the juxtaposition between light and shadow as the sun rises on the mountain sides or filters down through layers of palm fronds.

My artistic vision centers around the revelation of these overlooked or unseen experiential moments hidden within everyday life surrounding us.

Painting with coffee's natural monochromatic tones helps me focus my vision without the distraction that color can sometimes present. While working in both Realism and Abstract Expressionism allows me to share physically what caught my eye, as well as, the intangible spiritual heart of what inspired me.

Steven Mikel (pronounced “Michael”) is an American realist painter born in South Bend, Indiana in 1959. Some of his earliest memories are from the age of six, watching his Grandma Mangus hand paint unique individual Christmas Cards that she would send each year. Steven's teen years were spent in Vandalia, Ohio where, encouraged by his high school art teacher, he developed a love of photography and watercolors reading and studying books on Ansel Adams and Andrew Wyeth. In 1983, he attended the Ohio Institute of Photography majoring in commercial photography. However, life choices and decisions moved him away from artistic pursuits for almost 18 years.

In 1997, Steven started painting again with traditional watercolors spending an hour or so at a time but often having weeks or even months pass before painting again. He even had to resort to writing the names of the colors he was using on the edge of the painting board to help him recall when he finally returned to the painting. It was not until Steven and his wife Joanna moved to Celebration, Florida in 2001 that his art would begin to get the attention and focus it needed. Encouraged by friends and other artists in town he started spending a little more consistent time painting. He completed a handful of pieces and began showing and selling his work in some local juried art festivals. In 2009 one of his watercolors received a 3rd place and “Patrons Award”, and later that year he was asked to participate in the Disney Festival

Steven had started painting with coffee the previous year and began to really embrace this newly discovered monochromatic medium. His years of analytical work experience coupled with his many faceted career paths allowed him to research the science behind ensuring the coffee paintings stability and preservation to equal that of oil paintings.

Following the 2009 Disney Festival of the Masters, Steven and Jo were asked to dinner by friends from town that were avid art collectors. After the meal they started a conversation that became the turning point in Steven's artistic career. They explained that if the current quality of work Steven was producing was a result of 'dabbling' then they were confident that if he would focus and dedicate real time to the art he would be successful in reaching his full potential as an artist.

Since 2009 Steven has resolved to fully embark on developing his artistic vision which centers on revealing the overlooked or unnoticed beauty of the world and everyday life surrounding us. His works are characterized by unique perspectives, attention to detail and textures and take on an almost historical aspect like that of an old sepia tone photo.

Steven currently resides in the Dayton, Ohio metropolitan area and his Dark Roast Watercolor coffee paintings are in many fine art galleries, as well as private and corporate collections and have been featured on television, domestic and international magazines and numerous online blogs.