When asked how he would describe his artistic style to someone seeing his art for the first time, Thunder Bay’s Steve Gerow gave a list of attributes: “Simple, colorful, reminiscent of stained glass, influenced by northwestern Ontario, lines, simple color, trees, polar bears, moose, woodland art.”
The colors and warmth can be felt while looking at the artist’s social media pages and resonate with many, as he has hundreds of followers on both Facebook and Instagram. Gerow is part of The Creative Company, a collective of artists based in Thunder Bay who sell art supplies, kits, and prints. His acrylic paintings are as bold and interesting as his personality.
Gerow was dealt a rough hand growing up. He had various medical issues, including juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, that interfered with the day-to-day activities of a young child. In a way, art was his medicine. “Art was how I got through it,” said Gerow.
Gerow had two major memories that were turning points in his life. These were the moments when he realized he definitely wanted to be an artist. The first was when Gerow was relearning to walk in the hospital. The nurses would take away the wheelchair and have him practice in the halls. “I ended up in this reading room where there was a coffee table book that reminded me of the stained-glass windows I saw in church. I liked the idea of art representing where I’m from and keeping it that way,” said Gerow.
The second key moment was when he was in high school. “School wasn’t easy for me,” said Gerow. “I dealt with pain by drawing. It was the only thing I felt I was good at… With difficulties in my home life, art always kept me busy. I felt destined to do it.” He later went on to sell his first painting while he was still in high school.
His first real artistic concept was an image he named “Soul Boy,” which had a distinct rib cage feature. As the years have gone on, this feature can be found in many of his pieces. “I am 100 percent self-taught,” said Gerow. “I had a unique childhood in that my parents were a bit older than my friends’ parents. The mentality was that you just push through and keep up.” That framework would go on to guide Gerow in his life with his medical challenges, but it would also help to shape his artistic career.
“I experimented with everything,” said Gerow. “Carved stone was fun, and then over the past 20 years I really got into painting… Thunder Bay influences my art through landmarks, trees, nature, and people.”
Gerow’s artistic career has taken him down many paths. He has been, and continues to be, a fixture at the local Thunder Bay Market. He started a local gallery for a time. He participated in art classes. He became the lead artist at The Creative Company, where the company started selling art kits during the pandemic.
Now, Gerow is still the lead artist at The Creative Company. He’s done with his post on the school board (another venture he took on for a time), and proudly calls himself a full-time artist. “I just want people to be happy. That’s what I’m trying to put out there. That’s why I do it,” said Gerow.
You can find Steve Gerow on Facebook and Instagram, as well as in person at the Thunder Bay Country Market at 425 Northern Avenue in Thunder Bay, open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays and 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. He also takes commission pieces.
