One of the most accomplished representational figurative artists of his generation, Steven Assael has spent his life mastering the art of proportion and devoting himself to realistic renderings of the human figure. Born in New York City in 1957, he showed interest in art from a very young age and began taking classes at the museum of modern art when he was just four years old. He graduated from the Pratt institute in Brooklyn in 1979 and his first solo exhibition was produced by the National Arts Club at Gregg gallery one year later.
A gifted portrait artist, Assael has taught for several institutions including the School of Visual Arts, New York Academy Graduate School, and his own alma mater. His work is in numerous public and private collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Racine Art Museum, The Art Institute of Chicago, Frye Art Museum, and the Murray Collection.
Assael’s work carries a contemporary, post-modern sensibility anchored in classical technique. The rich colors, dramatic lighting, and carefully wrought composition of his paintings evoke the style of Old Master’s, balancing realism and romanticism in a single image. He aims to capture the human image emotionally within its specific context as well as in a grander context of human iconography, so that the viewer is left with an intimate relic of that experience.
As a classically trained portrait artist, Assael works from life as part of his unique methodology for turning the human experience tangible. Rather than recreating a split second captured on film, this process involves working with live models to capture a sequence of moments into a collective image. In the words of Art historian, Arlene Raven, "Assael wants the greater possibilities of duration. More variety, and a broader range of values and colors, a chronicle of the transformations of changing light, spent over real minutes and hours with his model."
WORK EXPERIENCE
1997- Present Senior Critic New York Academy Graduate School, New York, NY
1999-2001 Instructor, Oil Painting and Figurative Drawing Classes Pratt Institute, Brooklyn,
1991-1992 Instructor, Oil Painting and Figurative Drawing Classes Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY
1985 - Present Instructor, Oil Painting and Figurative Drawing Classes School of Visual Arts, New York, NY
EDUCATION
1975-1979 Pratt Institute Brooklyn, NY Awarded full scholarship including independent study in Europe
AWARDS
1980 and 1990 Elizabeth T. Greenshields Grant, Montreal, Ontario
1977 Charles Romans Award, National Academy of Design, New York, NY
1975 Pratt Institute Full Scholarship, Brooklyn, NY
SELECTED PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
The Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock, AR
The Arnot Art Museum, Elmira, NY
The Art Institute of Chicago
Mr. Richard Brown Baker
Mr. John Bolton
Mr. and Mrs. Jacques Busquet
Celestial Seasonings Corporation, Boulder, CO
Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, OH
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Danziger
Frye Art Museum, Seattle, WA
The Hunter Museum of Art, Chattanooga, TN
Jalane and Richard Davidson
The Juliet Museum of Art, Avampato Discovery Museum for the Arts & Sciences
K & B Corporation, New Orleans, LA
Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art & Design, Kansas City, MO
Kumada Corporation, Kobe, Japan
Mr. Steve Martin
Dr. Thomas A. Mathews
Mr. and Mrs. Philip Messinger
Racine Art Museum, Racine, WI
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
The Murray Collection
Mr. and Mrs. Richard D. Segal
Mr. and Mrs. Toshio Takashima
Mr. and Mrs. James Thompson
The Howard A. and Judith Tullman Collection
Walt Disney Corporation, Burbank, CA
2023: Steven Assael: Beneath the Surface Paul Mahder Gallery Healdsburg, CA
2015-2016: Steven Assael: New Paintings and Drawings Forum Gallery New York, NY
2014: Steven Assael: A Collection of Paintings and Works on Paper CASS Contemporary Tampa, FL
Steven Assael: New Drawings Forum Gallery Beverly Hills, CA
2013: Steven Assael: New Drawings Forum Gallery New York, NY
2011: Steven Assael: Drawings and Paintings Hite Art Institute Louisville, KY
Uncovered Eden Rock Gallery St. Barthelemy, French West Indies
ACOPAL National Arts Club New York, NY
2010: Steven Assael: Illusions of Reality Patty & Jay Baker Naples Museum of Art Naples, FL 2009 Steven Assael: Paintings & Drawings Carol Gallery Craven Vineyard Haven, MA
Steven Assael: New Paintings & Drawings Forum Gallery New York, NY
2008: The Old Hat Club High School of Art and Design New York, NY
Steven Assael: Drawings Forum Gallery New York, NY
2007: Steven Assael: Drawings Forum Gallery Los Angeles, CA
Steven Assael Gallery Camino Real Boca Raton, FL
2005: Steven Assael: New Paintings & Drawings Forum Gallery Los Angeles, CA
2004: Steven Assael: Drawings & Paintings Cress Gallery of Art Chattanooga, TN
Steven Assael: 20th Century Figurative Master Lowe Gallery Atlanta, GA
2002: Steven Assael: Paintings Forum Gallery New York, NY
2001: Steven Assael: Drawings from 1996-2001 Forum Gallery New York, NY
Steven Assael Ann Nathan Gallery Chicago, IL
2000: Steven Assael: Drawings Ann Nathan Gallery Chicago, IL
Steven Assael Paintings and Drawings North Carolina State University Chapel Hill, NC
1999: Steven Assael: A Decade of Painting and Drawing Frye Art Museum Seattle, WA (catalogue)
1998: New Paintings and Drawings by Steven Assael Forum Gallery New York, NY (catalogue)
1997: New Drawings More Gallery Philadelphia, PA
1996: New Paintings and Drawings Tatistcheff & Co. New York, NY (catalogue)
1995: Paintings and Drawings Payne Gallery Bethlehem, PA
1994: Paintings and Drawings Tatistcheff & Co. New York, NY
1991: Steven Assael: Recent Paintings and Works on Paper Gray Art Center Greenville, NC
1990 Solo Exhibition Fendrick Gallery Washington, D.C.
1989 Solo Exhibition Staempfli Gallery New York, NY
1987 Solo Exhibition Staempfli Gallery New York, NY
1980 Solo Exhibition Gregg Gallery New York, NY
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2026: Summer's Here! Grenning Gallery Sag Harbor, NY
2025: 25 New Works for the New Year by Forum Gallery Artists Forum Gallery New York, NY
2024: The Mother - The Father Equity Gallery New York, NY
2023: At First Blush Forum Gallery New York, NY
The Figure in Black and White Forum Gallery New York, NY
In the Studio: New York Academy of Art Faculty Exhibition New York Academy of Art New York, NY
2nd Annual Hartley Invitational Salmagundi Club New York, NY
Big Stories Bo Bartlett Center Columbus, GA
2022: COUPLINGS Forum Gallery New York, NY
As Is: Beauty and the Body in Contemporary Art GVSU Arts Gallery Allendale, MI
The Male Nude: Turning the Gaze New York Artists Equity Association & Equity Gallery New York, NY
Hartley Invitational Exhibition Salmagundi Club New York, NY
2021: Varieties of Figurative Experience George Bergès Gallery New York, NY
Silver DFN Projects and Equity Gallery New York, NY
Memento Vivere Lyme Academy Old Lyme, CT
Resurgence Mills Pond Gallery St. James, NY
Then and Now: American Social Realism Forum Gallery New York, NY Group Exhibition, Drawing inspiration Forum Gallery New York, NY
2020: Journey to the Sky Six Summit Gallery New York, NY
Shades of Blue: Drawings, Watercolors and Works on Paper Equity Online Marketplace New York, NY; DFN Projects New York, NY; Portraits, Inc. Birmingham, AL
First Impressions: New Works and New Acquisitions Forum Gallery New York, NY
Corpo a Corpo Villa Bardini Florence, Italy
2019: Person to Person Forum Gallery New York, NY
2018: Responsorial: The Second Sex and the Contemporary Dialectics of Misogyny New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts New Orleans, LA
Forum Gallery: Second Annual Southampton Exhibition MM Fine Art Southampton, NY
Peers & Influences The Bo Bartlett Center Columbus, GA
Artists by Artists: The Artist as Subject Forum Gallery New York, NY
Favorite Things: A Holiday Exhibition Forum Gallery New York, NY
2017: About Face Southampton Arts Center Southampton, NY
American Realism: A Survey Gerald Peters Gallery New York, NY
Forum Gallery Celebrates 55 Years of Modern and Contemporary Art Forum Gallery New York, NY
2016: 20/21 – VISIONARY ARTISTS OF THE 21ST CENTURY Forum Gallery New York, NY
Consecrated Reality Florence Academy of Art at Mana Contemporary Jersey City, NJ
Now and Then: Drawings from the 19th Century to the Present New York Academy of Art New York, NY
2015: Nature Unbound Forum Gallery New York, NY
N U D E Eleventh Street Arts Long Island City, NY
Silverpoint Exhibition Art Students League New York, NY
2014: September Opening Ann Nathan Gallery Chicago, IL
The Way of the Flesh Part II Mt. San Antonio College Walnut, CA
Wives, Daughters and Lovers Forum Gallery New York, NY
Representing the Nude EVOKE Contemporary Santa Fe, NM
National Arts Club Gregg Gallery New York, NY
2013: Six Summit Gallery Ivoryton, CT
Nocturnes The National Arts Club New York, NY
Diverse Visions of Reality Diego Salazar Gallery New York, NY
Singular Vision Forum Gallery New York, NY
Face to Face: Artist Self-Portraits from the Collection of Jackye and Curtis Finch Jr. Arkansas Art Center Little Rock, AR
2012: Resolve Joshua Liner Gallery New York, NY
Five Decades: Art and Artists of Forum Gallery 1962-2012 Forum Gallery New York, NY
Perception of Self Forum Gallery New York, NY
2011: Expressing the Figure: Drawings from Life Dr. M. T. Geoffrey Yeh Art Gallery Jamaica, NY
Dark Water Copro Gallery Santa Monica, CA
Vantage Point Forum Gallery New York, NY
2010: 2010 Collector’s Show & Sale Arkansas Arts Center Little Rock, AR Group Exhibition, Re-Presenting the Nude EVOKE Contemporary Santa Fe, NM
2009: Summer Selections Forum Gallery New York, NY
2008: The Figure Revealed: Contemporary American Figurative Paintings and Drawings Kalamazoo Institute of Art Kalamazoo, MI
Drawings John Pence Gallery San Francisco, CA
Visions: Selections from the James T. Dyke Collection of Contemporary Drawings Naples Museum of Art Naples, FL; Arkansas Arts Center Little Rock, AR.
Object Project Evansville Museum Evansville, IN; Greenville County Museum of Art Greenville, SC; Philbrook Museum of Art Tulsa, OK; Hunter Museum of Art Chattanooga, TN; Museum of Outdoor Art Englewood, CO.
2007: The Fine Art of Drawing: Modern & Contemporary Works on Paper Forum Gallery New York, NY
Fall 2007 Group Exhibition eDavid Gallery Bethlehem, PA
Body and Soul: Exploration to Expression Osilas Gallery Bronxville, NY
FACE: Scavenging Identity Zone Chelsea Center for the Arts New York, NY
The Storm Forum Gallery New York, NY
Figure It! The Human Factor in Contemporary Art The Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences Charleston, WV
New Old Masters/ Nowi Dawni Mistrzowie National Museum Gdansk, Poland
2006: Creative Imaginings: The Howard A. and Judith Tullman Collection Mobile Museum of Art Mobile, AL
Luster of Silver: Contemporary Metalpoint Drawings Telfair Museum of Art Savannah, GA
Salon 2006 Exhibition New York Academy of Art New York, NY
The Art of Representation: Figures Alva deMars Megan Chapel Art Center Manchester, NH
2005: 2005 Collector’s Show Arkansas Art Center Little Rock, AR
Figurative Impulse Forum Gallery Los Angeles, CA
New Old Masters Naples Art Museum Naples, FL
Then as Now Sordoni Art Gallery Wilkes-Barre, PA
Enduring Roles and Realism: Building on the Murray Collection Everhart Museum Scranton, PA
2004: Commissioned/Non-Commissioned Chung-Cheng Gallery Queens, NY
Drawings VII Koplin Del Rio Gallery Los Angeles, CA
Masters and Mavericks Seraphin Gallery Philadelphia, PA
Invitational Exhibition Columbus State University Columbus, GA
2003: MFA Faculty Exhibition New York Academy of Art New York, NY
Collector’s Show Arkansas Art Center Little Rock, AR
Realism Now Boise State University Boise, ID
Facing Reality: The Seavest Collection of Contemporary Realism Neuberger Museum of Art Purchase, NY
Contemporary Works on Paper Forum Gallery New York, NY
Magic Realism: A New Generation Sangre de Christo Arts Center Pueblo, CO
Transforming the Commonplace: Masters of Contemporary Realism Susquehanna Art Museum Harrisburg, PA
Grand Opening Exhibition Frey Norris Gallery San Francisco, CA
Modern and Contemporary Portraits Forum Gallery New York, NY
2002: Representations: The Art of Drawing Schick Art Gallery Saratoga Springs, NY
A Decade of American Contemporary Figurative Drawing Frye Art Museum Seattle, WA
Group Exhibition Carol Craven Gallery Martha’s Vineyard, MA
Magic Vision Arkansas Arts Center Little Rock, AR
2001: About Face Arkansas Arts Center Little Rock, AR
Identities: Contemporary Portraiture New Jersey Center for Visual Arts Summit, NJ
Tulsa Collects Philbrook Art Center Tulsa, OK
National Drawing Invitational Arkansas Arts Center Little Rock, AR
2000: Re-presenting Representation Corning Gallery New York, NY
Drawings by 20th Century and Contemporary Masters Forum Gallery New York, NY
Drawing V Koplin Gallery Los Angeles, CA
1999: New Realism for a New Millennium Memorial Art Gallery Rochester, NY
Fine Art Faculty Exhibition Pratt Institute Brooklyn, NY
Indomitable Spirits: The Figure at the End of the Century Art Institute of Southern California Laguna Beach, CA
1998: Collector’s Show Arkansas Arts Center Little Rock, AK
It’s Still Life Forum Gallery New York, NY
Realism Knows No Bounds Van de Griff Gallery Santa Fe, NM
73rd Annual Exhibition National Academy of Design New York, NY
The Figurative Impulse Kendall Campus Art Gallery Miami, FL
1997: Drawn From the Faculty New York Academy of Art New York, NY
Dramatic Realism: The New Baroque Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art Loretto, PA
1996: American Academy Invitational Exhibition of Painting & Sculpture American Academy New York, NY
New York State Biennial New York State Museum Albany, NY
Reality Bytes Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art & Design Kansas City, MO (catalogue)
Invitational Figurative Group Exhibition More Gallery Philadelphia, PA
Holiday Exhibition Laura Craig Galleries Scranton, PA
1995: SPECTRUM Hunter Museum of Art Chattanooga, TN
Collector’s Show The Arkansas Arts Center Little Rock, AK
Summer Group Exhibition Tatistcheff & Co. New York, NY
Live/Work Queens Museum of Art Queens, NY
Summer Exhibition Park Avenue Atrium New York, NY
Realism ‘95, Vision and Poetry Fletcher Gallery Santa Fe, NM
Collecting with Richard Brown Baker Yale University Art Gallery New Haven, CT
1994: Realism(s) The Murray Collection Scranton, PA
Getting Romantic Again Tatistcheff & Co. New York, NY
Summer Gallery Group Exhibition Tatistcheff & Co. New York, NY
169th Annual Exhibition National Academy of Design New York, NY
Drawings: Steven Assael/Adam Schnitzer, Tatistcheff/Rogers, Santa Monica,
CA Collection of Remak Ramsay The Century Association New York, NY
1993: Re-Representing Representation Arnot Art Museum Elmira, NY
Summer Group Exhibition Lewin Gallery New York, NY
Inside Washington’s Galleries Art Museum of the Americas Washington, D.C.
Collectors Show, Drawing Exhibition Arkansas Arts Center Little Rock, AK
Contemporary Realism Staempfli Gallery New York, NY
Heroism: Contemporary Images Peconic Gallery Riverhead, NY
Art of Drawing Staempfli Gallery New York, NY
Silverpoint Etcetera: Contemporary American Metalpoint Drawings The Arkansas Arts Center Little Rock, AK
1992: Group Exhibition Huntsville Museum of Art Huntsville, AL
Group Exhibition Farnsworth Art Museum Rockland, ME
1991: Three Directions Wellington B. Gray Gallery Greenville, NC
Expressive Visions and Exquisite Images: Two Aspects of Art of the Richard Brown Baker Collection Meadow Brook Art Gallery Rochester, MI
New Horizons in American Realism Flint Institute of Art MI
Group Exhibition Philharmonic Center for the Arts Naples, FL
Group Exhibition Knoxville Museum of Art Knoxville, TN
1990: Art of Fantasy Delaware Art Museum Wilmington, DE
Art of Drawing Staempfli Gallery New York, NY
Love and Charity: The Tradition of Caritas in Contemporary Painting Sherry French Gallery New York, NY; Roanoke Museum of Fine Arts Roanoke, VA; Dowd Fine Arts Gallery Cortland, NY; The Noyes Museum Oceanville, NJ; Roland Gibson Gallery Potsdam, NY
Fendrick at Foster University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire Artspace Raleigh, NC
Gender: Out of the Garden Barbara Fendrick Gallery New York, NY; Fendrick Gallery Washington, D.C.
Revelation and Devotion Sherry French Gallery New York, NY; Triton Museum of Art Santa Clara, CA; Art Gallery at Gustavus Adolphus College St. Peter, MN; Valparaiso University Museum of Art Valparaiso, IN; Arnot Art Museum Elmira, NY
Gallery Painters Staempfli Gallery New York, NY
Group Exhibition National Academy of Design New York, NY
1989: Memory and Artifact: Romanticism Revisited Barbara Fendrick Gallery New York, NY; Fendrick Gallery Washington, D.C.
1983: New Realism Mullaly Matisse Gallery New York, NY
1981: Emerging Young Artists Nardian Gallery New York, NY
1980: Young Realists Harbor Gallery Cold Spring Harbor, NY
1979: Group Exhibition Pratt Institute Brooklyn, NY
