SteveBlu1.jpg Steve Slaske is well-known for his drawings and watercolors of the urban scene. He holds a degree in architecture from the University of Wisconsin, and his understanding and love of buildings is evident in his work. Steve has traveled extensively, never without his pen, throughout the US, Canada, Mexico and Europe. The artist has collectors all over the world and is in the permanent collections of Northwestern Mutual Life, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee Public Library and Radisson, Pfister and Marriott Hotels among others. Steve was commissioned by the Milwaukee Art Museum to create the poster for its internationally acclaimed Calatrava wing. He wrote and illustrated the book, "Milwaukee, The Cream City Observed" which received a design award from the MGDA. His work has been included in many others.

His work can be found at galleries in Chicago and cities throughout the USA. The artist was commissioned to create a series of large scale original works for the law firm of Foley and Lardner in downtown Milwaukee.  And the artist was honored by the Milwaukee Downtown Association with a commission for ten original paintings for their annual meeting in 2007.

The artist spent three weeks as artist-in-residence in Tuscany Italy in 2001. Out of this trip came an exhibition of drawings and paintings as well as a book. The exhibition, "Dalla Villa", at the Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum featured forty- two drawings and paintings created in Tuscany and Rome. Fifty-five of these works are included in his second book, "Sketchbook Dalla Villa" (available on the "books page" of this site). A second exhibition of paintings and drawings at the Museum in 2003 featured paintings and drawings of Prague, Vienna and Salzburg.

Steve has exhibited his works widely in the Midwest and in national drawing and watercolor exhibitions including Watermedia X in Colorado and the Transparent Watercolor Society of America. He has had numerous one-man exhibitions including his show of portraits, "Drawn from Life" at the Charles Allis Art Museum in 1998. "Realism and Beyond" at Gallery 110 North in Plymouth, WI in 2001 featured the artist's series of stream of consciousness works. 

Steve is now thrilled to live, draw and paint in Chicago where he started his career as an artist. The Radisson Blu Hotel, first in the US and located in the acclaimed Aqua Tower, is now open in downtown Chicago. The artist was commissioned to create drawings of Chicago for floor to ceiling murals that fill the guest room floors and meeting rooms of the hotel.

A local PBS interview regarding the artist and his work was recently selected for national distribution on over 30 PBS stations nationwide. You can view the interview at this link: Steve's PBS interview