Stephen Moody
Figurative Abstract Expressionist | Scottsdale, Arizona

I paint light and energy, and the human form that carries them.

My figures are not posed; they are felt. They come from somewhere hidden deep inside me, surfacing as dancers, lovers, and solitary figures glowing out of darkness. They carry what we all carry: desire, vulnerability, and the quiet courage of staying open.

My path to the canvas began with a Kodak camera my father gave me when I was six. I spent two decades as a photographer, capturing dancers and the human figure, and earned a Master of Photography degree in 1990. Years later I began photographing underwater in my Scottsdale pool, but I couldn’t find what I was looking for. Then, in 2003, a chance encounter with an Australian shaman changed everything. I returned to the water and created images that became the blueprints for my oils. I have painted ever since.

Many of my pieces are spiritual in nature. Many people can feel them. Some people can only see them. Either way, I leave them open, so you can find your own meaning in the glow.

I am also a published novelist, and the characters I paint often find their way into my stories.