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About the Artist |
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With a career propelled by numerous national awards and multiple Major Golf Championship commissions, a list that includes the 2008 Ryder Cup, 9 PGA Championships, the 2003 US Open and other USGA and PGA Tour events, Steve Lotus has emerged as one of our county’s premier golf artists. Using color and texture in a style best described as impressionistic realism, Steve has produced a series of paintings, prints and posters depicting some of our nation’s finest golf courses. His emotional approach to landscape painting and his precise attention to detail allow him to capture the unique character of every golf course he paints. As a nationally award winning landscape artist for the past fifteen years, a student of architecture, and an avid golfer, Steve demonstrates a background well suited for the purpose. Steve Lotysz/Dr. Steve LotyszKnown in the golf art community as artist Steve Lotus, Steve is also known as, Dr. Steven Lotysz (pron. Lotus) in everyday life in his hometown. For 16 years, Dr. Steve Lotysz has nurtured his dual loves of science and art as both a professional painter and professional dentist. A doctor of dentistry for the past 25 years, he continues to practice dentistry part time in the town of Frankfort, Illinois, a small community of about 9000, just southwest of Chicago. As a landscape artist specializing in golf art , he decided early on to use the phonetically correct “Steve Lotus” as his artist pen name for his golf art, and that is how he currently signs his golf paintings. Personal HistorySteve was born in Forsythe Georgia in 1953. His parents emigrated from the Ukraine to a farm in Georgia in that same year and subsequently moved to Chicago in 1954. He has lived in the Chicago land area his entire life. Steve's hobbies and interests aside from dentistry and golf art include:
From as far back as he can remember Steve has always had a desire to draw and paint. Whenever possible he would go to the Chicago Public Library to take out the latest of the “How to Draw” series of books and for hours he would practice drawing. He attended the Moose School in Chicago for grades K thru 2nd and later attended Leslie Lewis Elementary School on the west side of Chicago from grades 3rd through 8th. He then went on to study architecture for four years at Lane Technical High School also in Chicago. Favoring the drawing and rendering part of architecture, Steve first pursued a career in commercial art at Northern illinois University in 1972. It was at that point that his interest in the health sciences led to a change in career direction. He soon found biology and chemistry to be as interesting as art and sculpture and so he pursued a career in the health sciences. As president of the Pre-Professional Society at NIU he explored options that would combine his interest in science and art. Dentistry seemed to be the perfect blend. In 1976, he married his college sweetheart, the former Susan Green, whom he had met while at Northern Illinois University. A fair weather golfer herself Susan, also comes from a golfing family background with both of her parents both still very active as members of Ridge Country Club in Chicago. They have two children, Christopher, 21, a junior at the University of Illinois majoring in electrical engineering, and Alecia, age 19, a freshman at the University of Illinois. Both kids played on their high school golf teams and, along with wife Susan, can be found working for the artist at golf tournaments Steve is invited to paint for. The family has jokingly even been dubbed “Team Lotus” by the media at last year’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club, ( ala “Team Penske” in car racing circles ). After graduating from dental school in 1980, Steve went on to practice as an associate dentist at the office of his senior year clinical instructor, Dr. Alan Shapiro of Elk Grove Village (a very good sculptor in his own right, we might add ). He later moved to the Frankfort, Illinois area in 1983, having acquired the dental practice of the late Dr. Joseph Petnuch. In 1987 at age 34, Steve became seriously ill for the first time in his life. Surgery restored his health but his outlook on life changed forever. As so often happens, Ill health forces one to reevaluate what is important in life. Steve’s illness lead to a reaffirmation of his lifelong Christian beliefs and a renewed awareness of how precious health and family are. It also lead to his return to the painting he had abandoned while establishing a career in dentistry. With the hiring of an associate dentist in 1987, Steve was able to devote time to his painting. It was about that same time that he met his art mentor, the late Sam Hageman, a noted local Frankfort artist, interestingly enough, on a golf course at a Frankfort Park District golf league. A friendship grew from their mutual love for art and golf and soon thereafter, he began to study watercolor painting at Sam’s home and studio. Steve studied with Sam until his death in 1988. Sam’s wife Judy remains a close friend and White Street Gallery continues to display Sam Hageman lithographs and original paintings of rural landscapes in their gallery. Style and HistoryPrimarily a landscape artist painting in both watercolors and oils, Steve's
style can best be described as impressionistic realism. His subject
matter has ranged from California landscapes to paintings of historical sites
of Frankfort
and most recently, to famous golf course scenes.
Prior to concentrating on golf course paintings under the name
of “Steve
Lotus”,
Steve’s landscape paintings had been included and won awards in
many of the nation’s
foremost art exhibitions including the American Watercolor Society
in New York and the Midwest Watercolor Society of which he is a
signature member, under his
correct name, Steve Lotysz. His work also earned him awards in
numerous national art publication competitions and he is museum
accredited.
Steve’s interest in golf art came about as a result of the melding
of his passions for art, golf and architecture. Steve’s training
in architectural rendering has proven to be invaluable to the golf
art An avid golfer and photographer for many years, Steve frequently would take photos as he made his way around the golf course, capturing scenes on film at both dawn and dusk. About 10 years ago, he began painting the courses he played. Being a golfer, Steve believed he could bring a unique perspective to golf art that would set him apart from other artists. Evidently, the professional golfing community agreed, and in 1997 he was commissioned as a poster artist for the US Senior Open at Olympia Fields Country Club. Since then he has climbed the ladder of artistic recognition, from first exhibiting his work at local art fairs, regional shows, and ultimately national art exhibitions around the country building an impressive resume`as a professional artist along the way, to painting for major golf championships including the Ryder Cup, the PGA Championships for the PGA of America, the USGA and the PGA Tour. White Street Gallery/Lotus Golf Art EditionsAlthough Steve had had requests for his artwork from other galleries around the country, none of them were very close to his hometown of Frankfort so in November of 1992, he and his wife, Susan, decided to open their own gallery and thus began White Street Gallery and Framing. Susan, along with a staff of about 4, currently operates the gallery and also manages the extensive list of details involved with the publishing, packaging and shipping of posters and lithographs for each golf event. Steve’s paintings are currently published by another family business, Lotus Golf Art Editions, also run by wife Susan and the White Street Gallery staff. Along with paintings and lithographs by Steve Lotus, the gallery also displays and sells original paintings and limited editions prints of both nationally known and local artists, many of whom are friends Steve has made at art exhibits across the country. The custom frame shop part of the gallery allows the artist to make sure that the materials used in framing his paintings and prints are of the highest quality. If you’re ever in Chicagoland area, be sure to stop by and visit. The gallery is located only about an hour southwest of the city and often has the latest unpublished Steve Lotus paintings on display as well as other work under the name “Steve Lotysz”. DentistryAs a professional dentist Steve is devoted to maintaining equally high standards in his dental practice. However after the dental journals have been read, and the family is asleep, the studio lights and music go on and the painting begins in the art studio, which is attached to the family house. Steve first began displaying his paintings in his dental office in 1988. His staff was often asked if the ‘Lotysz’ behind the paintings was his wife or one of his children. New patients were often surprised to learn that he was both a dentist and an artist. At art shows artists were similarly surprised to learn that he was a dentist although he does not usually advertise the fact. To Steve, it's not surprising. The hand-eye coordination required to do painting is very helpful in the practice of dentistry and he has often said that the dental drill becomes much like a paint brush in his hands. The artwork in the dental office also seems to help diffuse the tension and anxiety that is so often associated with dental procedures. It allows for something else to talk about after the patient’s dental needs are discussed. Patients also seem to find comfort in knowing that their dentist has some artistic talent and they seem to share in the excitement of his winning artistic awards, often times clipping out articles about his awards and golf tournament commissions from local newspapers. Award History An avid golfer and artist, Steve would often photograph
many of the beautiful scenes he witnessed on the golf courses he played. Eventually,
he amassed a large collection of golf landscape photographs In 1994, he
decided to begin painting some of the beautiful landscapes he had been witness
to. As both an artist and a golfer, Steve felt he could bring his unique perspective
to golf art. Evidently the professional golfing community agreed and, in 1997,
he was commissioned as artist for the 1997 US Senior Open held at Olympia Fields
Country Club. That commission then lead to numerous other commissions as the
golfing community began to appreciate his work. GOLF TOURNAMENT PAINTING HISTORY
ART AWARD HISTORY 1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1991
1989
1976-1980
1968 -1972
Artist's Final CommentThe artist attributes much of his success to his wife Susan and his children, Chris and Alecia. They really are his biggest fans and critics and must live day to day with the emotional roller coaster that is the life of an artist. Steve will usually show his wife many of his paintings in early stages to see if she sees “what he sees”. Often times, she will encourage him to finish a piece that he would otherwise have given up on. The kids learned early on, how to read in the car as dad traveled near and far searching for that next scene that would provide inspiration for the next painting. Many times they have had to exhibit the patience of a saint as Steve would wait for the right lighting to snap a photograph. An occasional ice cream cone stop, often softened the blow. Finally, but very importantly, Steve considers his artistic talent to be a spiritual gift. His life changing experience with illness rekindled Steve’s spiritual beliefs and his return to painting. As a gesture of his faith, he includes the Christian fish symbol after his name on his paintings. Steve also takes time to pray before painting sessions, asking for guidance and inspiration. He takes nothing for granted and fully appreciates that life is finite. He urges his family, friends and others to pursue their dreams today, stating that people too often go through life forgetting the big picture. While Steve would never wish serious illness upon anyone, he would wish the opportunity to reevaluate life on everyone. Re-evaluation -a time to reflect and take inventory of where they are in life...to re focus on what is and isn’t important....to give spirituality a fighting chance.. and ultimately to persue those things they love in life while making the world a better place in which to live. Steve continues to display and sell his original paintings and limited edition prints through White Street Gallery and Framing at their location in the “Trolley Barn” in Frankfort, Illinois. Thank you again for your interest and for visiting our website. As always, Steve’s paintings and prints are also available here through our website and at our gallery: White Street Gallery
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