ABOUT THE ARTIST

Contemporary artist Butch Stell was born and raised in Northern California. Growing up in a blended family of six rowdy boys, he found serenity in drawing and music. While he admired his American-born father’s pencil doodling, Butch attributes his love of bright colors to an early introduction to origami paper by his Japanese mother. Losing his parents in his twenties was difficult. “They never got to see my children, or what I have accomplished in my life, but I’d like to think they would be proud, “ he says. Steered by his Christian faith and influenced by listening to smooth jazz or soulful gospel, he weaves memories of his father’s sketches and his mother’s origami into his vibrant work. “My art is multi-faceted. I am inspired by fond memories of both of my parents, moved to create through music and most importantly, guided by my faith."