Stevie Chow is a self-taught Canadian artist working with acrylic, resin, screen printing, and found objects. His colorful paintings often feature cartoon characters and uplifting phrases intended to bring joy to the viewer. Inspired by George Condo, Mr. Thief, and his early life as a rock & roll musician in Los Angeles, Chow still lives and works in Calgary.

The overarching theme of Chow’s work is to create art that enlivens our most intimate spaces in a positive way. His inspiration stems from a personal desire to be surrounded by positive affirmations to counteract the distractions of a noisy world.

2020 was a breakthrough year for Chow, who has since mastered the art of conveying positive energy through his paintings. His work has gained increasing recognition in the U.S. and the U.K., and can be found in public and private collections worldwide.

Chow describes his work as lying between pop culture, street art, and conceptual art. His pieces often explore the dichotomy between material and spiritual fulfillment. Utilizing elements such as money and gold, bright colors, bold lines, and uplifting texts, Chow’s style is instantly recognizable for its polished and refined exterior. The depth of his work grows in complexity as the layers are observed.

Much of his inspiration comes from his travels during childhood; raised in a family with a passion for exploring, he encountered a wide range of cultures from a young age. His experiences, from trekking with tribes in West Papua to traveling through Africa, sparked a fascination with the benefits of material wealth versus inner happiness. This curiosity led Chow to leave a budding career in oil and gas engineering and pursue an artistic path, moving to LA for music. His time there was exciting yet chaotic, with gigs at clubs and a small tour through Mexico.

After his band dissolved, he returned to Calgary, where he rediscovered his passion for visual arts after a period of self-reflection. Chow’s art, often featuring layered resin pours and symbols of money and gold, serves as therapy to process his own obsessions with material desires and find fulfillment. He draws stylistic inspiration from Ed Ruscha’s use of text and Jeff Koons’ narrative power.