Steven Latta is a painter whose practice explores the meeting point between mystical vision and material reality, drawing on classical representation, geometry, symbolism, and natural forms.
Artist Statement
I work to explore the meeting point between mystical vision and material reality. My practice is shaped by altered states of consciousness, contemplative mysticism, philosophy of mind, and the natural sciences—fields that each, in their own way, seek to reveal the truth.
Visionary experiences, often spontaneous and uncontainable, speak in a language of archetype, inner light, and unfolding symmetry. Classical art, with its devotion to order, proportion, and craftsmanship, offers a vessel through which these fleeting states might be held, translated, and made to endure.
Influenced by the symbolic abstraction of Hilma af Klint and the precision of Jan van Eyck, I aim to reconcile inner vision with outer form, to render the ineffable in physical terms, and to give lasting shape to states that defy conventional representation.
Mini Interview
What is the central theme or concept behind your current body of work?
My current work explores consciousness, perception, and the relationship between mystical experience and material reality. Through classical representation, geometry, symbolism, and natural forms, I’m interested in the possibility that these seemingly different realities are expressions of the same underlying order.
How do you hope your work resonates with or impacts your viewers?
I hope the work creates a sense of recognition or mystery that doesn’t necessarily require explanation. Ideally, it encourages viewers to contemplate the possibility that reality is stranger, deeper, and less certain than our ordinary perception suggests.
Can you share a pivotal moment that has shaped your artistic journey?
Experiences with altered states of consciousness were pivotal in shaping both my worldview and my work. They fundamentally changed my understanding of reality and eventually led me to explore imagery that resists conventional explanation through the medium of painting.
What advice would you offer to emerging artists navigating today’s art world?
Focus on developing the work before worrying too much about developing a career around it. Learn your craft deeply, look beyond what is currently fashionable, and follow what genuinely holds your attention long enough for something personal to emerge.
Are there any upcoming projects or exhibitions you would like to share with our readers?
I will have paintings on display at Streeters Gallery on November 21-23 and at the Holy Art gallery on November 14-16. I also have an exciting body of work I’m developing for 2027 and you can follow along with that on my Instagram at steve.painting.perception.
