A Natural Joy: The Art of Donta Santistevan

 

The illustrations of Donta Santistevan are a celebration of being alive and of life itself — they are in honor of the physical act of existing. His show his subjects nude and at constant play, enjoying the simple pleasures of the world. Swimming, reading, joking. These characters are carefree, dedicated to ideals friendship and self-confidence. The beauty of life on full display.

Santistevan’s linework is comic-like, full of vibrant color inked on textured paper. He is unafraid of sexuality and joyful nudity, in fact, his art revels in it all. The figures are drawn with a slight lean towards reality, with the faces taking on a Bil Keane style, Santistevan’s art the carefree cousin to Keane’s perennial comic strip The Family Circus. His art highlights the innocence and enthusiasm that is in all of us.