Steven Dragan — Biography & CV

Biography

Steven Dragan is a Kansas City painter known for vast, imagined scenes of leisure in which people are the primary compositional element. From a distance, his paintings appear full of detail and activity; up close, an individual figure may be made with as few as five strokes. Dragan operates a public studio and gallery in Kansas City's Crossroads Arts District and is represented in South Florida by Studio E Gallery in Palm Beach Gardens.

From Architecture to Painting

Dragan's decades in architecture shape the way he sees structure, scale, and the human figure. His architectural sketches taught him how a few deliberate marks could bring life to a space, an idea that remains central to his paintings today.

Scenes of Leisure, Built from People

People are the primary compositional element in Dragan's scenes. They offer viewers a way into each painting, inviting them to recognize relationships, imagine stories, or simply spend time with the color and texture around them.

Each scene begins with a moment rooted in reality, then expands into a horizonless field of color and activity. Without a clear boundary, a familiar experience begins to feel limitless.

Swimming in Color: How Steven Dragan Paints

Dragan's best-known body of work, Swimming in Color, is built in three stages:

• Texture. He spreads thick acrylic paint across the canvas, then uses his fingertips to create a waterlike texture.
• Color. Once the surface dries, he dips his hands in fluid paint and works color into it, allowing colors to meet across its raised and recessed areas.
• Figures. He paints the figures last, using minimal marks that come together as a pattern while leaving the texture and color visible beneath them.

Exhibitions and Collections

Dragan exhibits at nationally juried art shows and is represented by galleries from Park City to South Florida. His work is held in the collections of the Federal Reserve Bank of the United States, American Century Investments, and hundreds of private collectors.

Where to See Steven Dragan's Work

Original Steven Dragan paintings are available through his Kansas City studio, at exhibitions, and through the galleries that carry his work, including Studio E Gallery, 4600 PGA Blvd, Suite 101, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Contact the gallery to view current available work.

View artwork by Steven Dragan