About
Stephen Erik Schirle (b. 1982, Los Angeles, California) is a figurative oil painter whose work investigates personal symbolism through classical portraiture and representations of the human form. His paintings merge rigorous technical training with deeply personal narrative, creating works that function as both intimate self-examination and universal exploration of the human condition.
Schirle's relationship with drawing began in childhood, but it was during his senior year of high school that he began the formal study of the figure from life. This early commitment to observational drawing established the foundation for everything that followed. After graduating, he enrolled at the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art, where his talent caught the attention of his instructor, who hired him to work at a videogame studio at the age of 22. This opportunity marked the beginning of a nearly twenty-year career in the entertainment industry.
Seeking to deepen his understanding of classical technique, Schirle traveled to Italy to study at the Florence Academy of Art, where he refined his approach to drawing and furthered his technical mastery. He then returned to work in the film industry as both a concept artist and visual effects artist, contributing his skills to numerous productions. Yet throughout these decades in entertainment, Schirle never abandoned his first love: he maintained a dedicated painting practice, working in his studio during every available hour, developing the body of personal work that would eventually define his career.
After nearly two decades of dividing his attention between commercial art and fine art, Schirle made the pivotal decision to commit himself entirely to oil painting. He now works exclusively as a fine art painter, focusing on figurative and portrait work that deals with symbolism and ideas surrounding his own life. His paintings serve as visual investigations—each canvas an attempt to externalize internal experience through the careful observation and representation of the human figure, rendered with the classical techniques he has spent a lifetime mastering.
Collections
Director, Guillermo del Toro, California
Selected Exhibitions
2025- Five and Under - Arcadia Contemporary - NYC, NY
2025 - CONTEMPORARY SYMBOLISM - Ryan Graff Contemporary - SF, CA
2020 - LA Art Show - Arcadia Contemporary - Los Angeles, CA
2019 - Five and Under - Arcadia Contemporary - Pasadena, CA
2013 - SELFISH - Kathrine Cone Gallery - Culver City, CA
Awards
2019 - Art Renewal Center Salon Finalist
2009 - The Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant
2007 - Art Renewal Center Salon Finalist