Tom Stephens Jr. (born 1970) American, Abstract Seascape Oil and Acrylic on Canvas. Numerous layers and swirls of color create a vibrant sea with a cloudy bright sky above. Signed, dated 2006, and titled "Late July #2" on reverse. Comes with certificate of authenticity signed by the artist. 

Overall: 26 1/4 x 36 1/4 in. 

Sight: 25 1/8 x 35 1/8 in. 

#5237 . 

Thomas L. Stephens, Jr. was born in Cocoa Beach, Florida in 1970. He spent most of his youth working on his father’s boat, and he became interested in art, particularly the use of light diffusion and color layering, through his experiences on and with the water. He moved across the state to Sarasota to attend the Ringling College of Art & Design, obtaining his BFA in 1992. While enrolled he was working as first mate for a fishing boat, and got his captain’s license shortly after graduating. For five years he operated on his own before eventually joining forces with his father to form Top Notch Fishing in 1997, giving tours and fishing guide services in the Sarasota Bay, Tampa Bay, and nearby backcountry area. Although he focused mostly on his aquatic activities he continued to paint on the side, and after his work was included in an alumni showcase in 2006 he began to concentrate more on his art, gathering local commissions and a national following by the 2010s. His pieces are found in many public and corporate collections, including the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, Morgan Stanley, and PNC Bank. Although he stopped exhibiting in 2021 due to COVID-19, he continues to make art at his home studio, in canvases that range from 10 inches wide to 12 feet long, dividing his time between acrylics, oils, and water both on land and offshore.