Stephen Namara
Born in:
British East Africa (Kenya)
Lives and works in:
San Francisco, CA
Stephen Namara is a San Francisco–based artist with over forty years of experience. His work centers on portraiture, still-life, and spatial exploration, blending recognizable subjects with abstract qualities. Through minimalist compositions, pure lines, and rich color, he creates contemplative pieces that evoke calm and invite personal connection.
Namara’s recent focus on self-portraiture explores social and political themes, using painting and drawing to engage viewers in narrative and reflection. This approach deepens his expressive language while maintaining clarity and emotional resonance.
Alongside figurative work, he experiments with dry pigments in abstract drawings, emphasizing form, color, time, and scale. This process reveals new dimensions of his visual language, offering a minimalist exploration of illusion and pattern. Namara’s art balances simplicity with depth, inviting viewers into serene, thoughtful experiences.
Scold, 2023.
African Daisy, 2022 - 2024.
No Title, 2021.
Gold Poppy, 2024.
Pear, 2021.
Never Enough, 2024.