Steven Dayvid McKellar: "Nooit ge Dacht" an exhibition of paintings, drawings, objects and sound.

In this episode, we speak to Steven Dayvid McKellar, a musician, painter, and poet from Cape Town, South Africa. After a 20-year music career, touring globally with his band, Civil Twilight, Steven began releasing his first solo records and returned to his roots in painting. As a child, he was trained in realism by his aunt and renowned South African artist Donna McKellar before finding community and creative outlet through music and poetry.

After a debut solo show of his early paintings in Nashville, TN, Steven has been refining his process and deepening his relationship with the medium by exploring identity. Nooit Ge Dacht is his latest series of paintings, sketches, and pastels of everyday objects endowed with meaning regarding his personal journey of growth. Steven Dayvid McKellar: Nooit ge Dacht is displayed at El NIDO by VC Projects from April 21 – May 27^th, 2023.

This 60-minute talk is both sincere and intimate. We both meet on Zoom, myself in the exhibition space, contemplating Steven’s art and Steven's at his apartment in Highland Park. I ask questions about the hows and why’s of his artwork, his solo music career, and his studio practice. I gently nudge Steven to voice his deepest memories relative to his sense of self. The talk touches on creation, observation and Steven’s personal need to observe the world while recording his findings through the artmaking process, whether visual or sound art.

We also contemplate the ‘new era of art,’ venturing into self-awareness and liberation. Steven talks about how he prepares his mindscape, mentioning meditation and other structures that guide him. We both weigh our viewpoints and how art-making may evolve during this time of massive information. From my point of view, art is about feeling and documenting the world around you, sharing ideas, or asking questions. Steven talks about what art is for him. Towards the end, I ask Steven the traditional last question, “What would you tell your younger self? Steven’s answer is quite surprising, a hint, receiving, time passage, and entertaining comments about earthly success. Expect another podcast soon, as we had so much to talk about.

Steven Dayvid McKellar: Nooit ge Dacht, an exhibition of paintings, drawings, objects, and sound, on view at El Nido by VC Projects, Los Angeles, April 21 – May 27, 2023

Website for El Nido by VC Projects: www.vcprojects.art

Steven’s website: https://stevendayvidmckellar.com