Steven Rose

Artist Statement

I started out with some art classes in high school. I joined the LAPD as an officer in my early 20's. I worked the streets and Community Relations for most of my career. In the later part of my career, I had an idea to promote traffic safety for the Department by painting freeway murals highlighting traffic safety.

The Department supported my idea and allowed me to go onto the Los Angeles freeways and paint 3 large murals, Buckle Up!, Designate a driver, and DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education). They stood tall and lasted about 15 years before they were destroyed by vandalism and then the State removed them long after I had retired.

I did some art projects for friends over the years. In 2021, I purchased an Ipad Pro with Apple pencil and discovered I could produce art projects without the mess and set up of old traditional materials.

In the subsequent years I have submitted works to the Orange County and Los Angeles County Fairs and have won several First and Second Place awards under the Digital Art categories. I continue to draw and paint daily, trying to improve while continually looking for new ideas to "put on the pad."