Steve Stenzel
Steve Stenzel’s work has been shown in galleries internationally and his work is in numerous public and private collections. His latest work has been seen in Illuminance, a biennial photography exhibit in Texas; The ReFresh Print Biennial at the University of Wisconsin; Art on the Plains at the Plains Art Museum in North Dakota; After Dark, an International juried show at The Center for Fine Art Photography in Fort Collins, CO; and the 5th Photographic Image Biennial at the Wellington B. Gray Gallery in Greenville, North Carolina. Recently, he received a grant through the Minnesota State Arts Board to host a solo show in the community where he’s made most of his work.
Steve has recently completed a residency at the Anderson Center in Red Wing, MN. He was commissioned by the New York Times Magazine to shoot a cover story, which was published on November 19th, 2006. Since then, he’s completed 4 more projects for the New York Times, including a web-based photography project that was published in the spring of 2013.
Professor Stenzel strives to create an environment where personal exploration can flourish. A studio artist’s life needs to start with a good foundation that builds confidence in his/her knowledge. The technical aspects of any specific medium can be taught and mastered with years of practice, whether it is working with film or digital technology. The rest is up to the student along with help from Steve who is enthusiastic while leading the students in their own individual directions.
The goals and expectations of the students in Steve’s classroom are made clear. Students will not leave the classroom too overwhelmed or confused. They will end up leaving with enough information to create excitement, which will get them inspired to create photographs. This is done by discussing the medium’s history, showing current and relevant work examples, and engaging in critical critique, along with Steve’s genuine enthusiasm for the media. Steve brings his own studio experiences into the classroom, and students will see that he faces the same issues and challenges as they do.
"Students need a professor that will question, prod, engage them in critical analysis, and hold them accountable for the choices they make in their work. They will discover their path, and I’ll be there to help them with tools, encouragement, and feedback along the way."
- Steve Stenzel
