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1957 - At age 12 awarded Los Angeles County Schools scholarship to "Otis Art Institute"
1966 thru 1967 - Attended "Art Center College of Design", at that time located in Los Angeles
1968 - Co-founded California's Laguna Beach "Sawdust Festival"
1988 - "Guest Artist", Estes Native American Art Show, Boulder, Colorado
1989 - Published - Third Quarter, National Sculpture Society's "Sculpture Review"
1991 - Published -June-July, International Fine Art Collector, feature article -
"Sculpture from the healing hands of Steven Kensrue"
2002 - "Guest Artist", Sawdust Art Festival, Laguna Beach, California
"Art Business News" - Sculpture Choice, several years running
Numerous mentions in articles by "Wildlife Art News"
Permanent Collection "San Bernardino County Museum"
Permanent Collection (complete body of works), "Clifton Steamboat Museum" Beaumont Texas
"Shelburne Museum" Vermont, acquired rights to "Golden Eagle Bust"
Permanent Collection "Jung Bronze Museum", NY

Steven Kensrue has been represented by many galleries over the years including the Addi Galleries.
His Studios have been featured in "Northwest Magazine" and "Money" magazine.

"Best in Show" and "First in Sculpture" Western and Wildlife Minneapolis Art Show.
2008 - "Best Overall" Elite Salon International Painting Competition

Biography

Born in 1945 in Southern California, Steven Kensrue grew up surfing, catching wildlife (falconry) and drawing profusely. Early on he was inspired by John James Audubon and Fuentes' detailed illustrations of birds. By age thirteen his talents were recognized with a scholarship to the renowned Otis Art Institute. This Academy of fine art would set the tone for Kensrue’s classical approach to his art.

1953

1956

1957
1958
1960

1960

Roadster built during 1961-64

1965

In 1966 at age twenty-one he was accepted into Art Center College of Design, at that time located in Los Angeles and still to this day considered the finest design school on the planet. The quality of instruction was superb and classic in approach. After the first Month his design instructor pulled him aside and stated, “No matter what we try to teach you here, don’t let us change that thing you do.” At the top of his class in all drawing and painting classes Kensrue thrived in this environment. His life drawing Instructor, Glen Villpuu was a significant influence with his incredible talent in drawing.

1965

Ingres/Kensrue


Ingres/Kensrue

Rubens/Kensrue

Ingres/Kensrue
Examples from a first semester assignment at age twenty-one to make copies of Old Master’s drawings with emphasis on line character.

Life Drawing, 1967. .... ..... . . .. ...... .....Kensrue

Perspective 1, 1966

1969

In 1968 Kensrue moved to Laguna Beach, where in this renowned art colony he would become one of the founding artists of the ever popular Sawdust Art Festival. He would later return to this venue in 2002 as the Guest Artist.
Seven Sacred Pools 1970


1975

1968
From 1976 to 1983 He worked building a prototype, dual-place motorglider. The fuselage and twenty-seven foot long “plug” were designed and sculpted by Steven Kensrue.


27 foot long sculpted “plug” for molds

 This mammoth project involved constructing a seventy-two foot long, three-piece aluminum wing of incredibly close tolerances.
After seven years on the project Steven moved on to central Oregon. Eventually the project found its way to a soaring Museum where it is being completed as a museum project.

MSK 1 Dual-Place Motorglider


Design for dual-place controls
Kensrue continued to create his art while working on the sailplane project. It was during this time that he turned his talents to sculpting, beginning with of a copy of a Mucha work.


First Sculpting Attempt/from Mucha



Christina


"Lady with Braids"









He immediately followed this up with a design of his own, titled “Lady with Braids” modeled for by Christina Cervantes whom he would later marry in 1983. Kensrue discovered that sculpting came as naturally to him as drawing always had. This realm of creating dimensionally enthralled him for the next twenty years.

Detail (Hibiscus) work in progress 1976

Alternate design study 1975


Throughout his life Kensrue has enjoyed drawing and designing cars. Below
is a caracature for bodywork and aerodynamics for a Datsun 240 Z 1976.


Design for "Crane Prairie" Bald Eagle


Design for "Over/Under" Peregrine/swallows


Untitled, clay 1982


"Over/Under" clay work in progress 1994

Fifteen hour days were the norm in the studio at Sunriver, Oregon from 1985-1997.


Sunriver studio 1993 "Cloud Dancer"


“Working with clay is
like molding a living
substance” states
Kensrue, “Personally
I prefer seeing my
creations in clay more
than their cast bronze
counterparts. One
color, pure form, in
light and shadow, the
essence of sculpture.”




"Whitewater Warriors" in progress 1995



Rebecca


Work in progress "The Crossing"

In 1999 Steven and his family moved to Cambria, California, The southern gateway into the Big Sur region of the central coast.

Illustrations from children's book 1993

SKC 1 mid-engined concept
  

Many articles have been published about his works; i.e. International Fine Art Collector, the National Sculpture Society’s Sculpture Review”, Art Business News and Wildlife Art News to name but a few. His Studios have been featured in Northwest and Money magazines. He has been represented by numerous galleries over the years including the prestigious Addi Galleries. Upon moving to Cambria Kensrue turned his considerable talents to painting, the one medium he had not seriously pursued since Art Center College of Design.

In October of 2007 Steven and Christina traveled to Paris, France. The inspiration he found in the museums of that city had a profound effect on him. Upon returning home he switched to painting with oils on oil primed Belgium linen. Not only did he switch mediums but returned to his portrait and figurative work of thirty years past, and sculpting.