STEVE DEIHL September 9 through 29, 2004
Steve Deihl's deep blue oil paintings on wood panels from a series entitled "Celestial Navigations" are, as the artist says, "a culmination of several ideas: they can be seen as 'star charts' (literally, a section of deep space and the various routes between star systems), and 'flow charts' (symbolically, the underlying structure of networks revealed by the interconnections in logic systems, biological systems, or communication systems).	Steve Deihl, Celestial Navigation (nu), 2002, oil on panel, 24 x 24 inches
As one looks into Steve Deihl's celestial spaces, one's eyes adjust to the dark of the night sky and follow trajectories of sparkling, twinkling stars, and intertwining, web-like orbits. Some of the paintings are densely populated with galactic activity, others less so. Some works are titled by a Greek letter, according to the standard naming of stars, descending in magnitude of brightness; alpha being the brightest, beta the next brightest, etc., others are titled in the order they were completed.	Steve Deihl, Celestial Navigation (mu), 2002, oil on panel, 24 x 24 inches
Like the night sky filled with stars, Deihl's paintings mesmerize the viewer, drawing one deeper and deeper into physical and universal space. Not unlike a scientist whose pursuit it is to examine cellular life under the microscope in its infinite and various permutations, Deihl takes his eyes, mind and hand to the sky to examine its variations in range, breadth and depth. As Deihl says: "the 'Celestial Navigation' series is a closer view of the sky, or even Œnature' in general, revealing an interior view of its 'processes,' for example, by referencing sub-atomic particle events (reminiscent of Hydrogen Bubble Chambers)."	Steve Deihl, Celestial Navigation (omicron), 2003, oil on panel, 40 x 44 inches
As a University of Iowa undergraduate, Deihl began his studies with a focus on astronomy and engineering. One summer during his college years, he studied in Paris under the auspices of Parsons School of Design. As a result, he shifted his major and decided to become an artist. His keen interest in science has stayed with him as a passion and source for his work.	Steve Deihl, Celestial Navigation (epsilon), 2002, oil on gessoed paper, 10 x 12 inches
In spring 2001, during a residency at the Bellevue Art Museum in Washington, Deihl offered lectures showing slides of his paintings along with slides of Hubble Space Telescope images, combining his love of the heavens, astronomy and art. Deihl says of his juxtaposition: "It underscores the conceptual similarities found in science and art."	Steve Deihl, Celestial Navigation (theta), 2002, oil on gessoed paper, 10 x 10 inches
Steve Deihl was born in Columbus, Ohio in 1960. He attended the University of Iowa, Iowa City and Parsons School of Design, Paris. He was resident artist at Bellevue Art Museum, Washington.	Steve Deihl, Celestial Navigation (zeta), 2002, oil on gessoed, 10 x 12 inches
Steve Deihl's work has been shown at the Third Symposium on Realistic Near-Term Advanced Scientific Space Missions, Aosta, Italy and Marshall Spaceflight Center, Huntsville, Alabama; Hudson Waterfront Museum, Hoboken, New Jersey; Islip Art Museum, East Islip, New York; Jersey City Museum, New Jersey. He was a participant in "A Natural Order: Connections Between Science and Art," Art Focus Lecture Series, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb and "The Art and Science of Interstellar Message Composition," a conference sponsored by the SETI Institute, Paris, France.	Steve Deihl, Celestial Navigation (eta), 2002, oil on gessoed paper, 10 x 10 inches
Steve Deihl's work is included in the collections of The Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock; Marshall Spaceflight Center, Huntsville, Alabama; and Nathan Hall Biology Center, Rutgers University, New Jersey.	Steve Deihl, Celestial Navigation (gamma), 2002, oil on panel, 10 x 12 inches
For additional information regarding the work of Steve Deihl, please call Nancy Hoffman Gallery at (212) 966-6676.	Steve Deihl, Celestial Navigation (alpha), 2002, oil on gessoed paper, 11 x 12 inches
	Steve Deihl, Celestial Navigation (theta), 2003, oil on panel, 8 x 9 inches
	Steve Deihl, Celestial Navigation (alpha), 2003, oil on gessoed paper, 9 x 8 inches
	Steve Deihl, Celestial Navigation (beta), 2003, oil on gessoed paper, 9 x 9 inches
	Steve Deihl, Celestial Navigation (gamma) 2003 oil on gessoed paper, 8 x 10 inches
	Steve Deihl, Celestial Navigation (iota), 2003, oil on gessoed paper, 8 x 10 inches
	Steve Deihl, Celestial Navigation (rho), 2003, oil on panel, 40 x 44 inches
	Steve Deihl, Celestial Navigation (kappa), 2002, oil on panel, 24 x 24 inches
	Steve Deihl, Celestial Navigation (lambda), 2002, oil on panel, 24 x 24 inches