Stevens’ mother taught him how to observe objects and draw them – particularly pictures from books she read to him and his brothers. Stevens’s first art memory was in first grade, a mouse and clock from the poem “Hickory Dickory Dock.” Since those early memories, Stevens has enjoyed drawing images that arrest his attention. The artist has moved from depictions of mice to the human portrait and figure as his primary subject matter. Focusing on the gaze, the viewpoint, the orientation, the profile, the facial expressions, Stevens aims to capture the ‘emotive affect’ and feelings of universal humanity in one’s countenance. As a person of color, Stevens enjoys presenting images of people who are reflections of himself, in appearance - similarities or juxtapositions, and represent aspects of his lived experiences/impressions/values and history. Stevens hopes the viewer finds a part of the common thread that binds all of us as human beings. Stevens is guided by two thoughts: “The more you look the more you see” and “With each new work try to meet or exceed your previous effort.”