Svartejan by the fjord on the border to Norway,
where Stefan and Birgitta spend most of their time.

Biography

Born 1944 in Gothenburg, Sweden, Stefan began work as an Apprentice Electrician at the local shipyard Götaverken when he was 16 years old. He continued working as an electrician at construction sites on the West Coast of Sweden until 2005. Taking early retirement, he is now fully focused on his art. He is engaged to Birgitta, who is originally from Sweden and lived in Santa Barbara 1999-2007.

In 1974, Stefan began studying art by taking evening classes in drawing and painting of models. He took classes continually until he was accepted to the private art school Domen Konstskola in Gothenburg in 1980, a school noted for the dynamic painter Tullan Fink. He studied painting and sculpture there for six years.

Currently, Stefan is working on several large oil paintings that contain motifs from nature, and which utilize a coating technique from the 15th Century.

Stefan painted this oil painting in his temporary studio at 235 West Sola Street, Santa Barbara. He had asked Birgitta to take photos of the two large fig trees in town and one morning when the light was right she rushed out and got the pictures that is the reference for this painting of the big fig tree at West Anapamu Street, a couple of blocks away from State Street. Stefan wanted to create a different aspect and color scheme then the traditional art by Santa Barbara artists.

In early spring of 2009, while visiting Santa Barbara he discovered a reflection that looked like his painting in a window in a house in the corner of State and Carrillo Streets to his great surprise!

42" x 42" oil on canvas, 2006

"I really LOVE the painting -- it's deep colors, rhythm, and sense of fun. And I get a kick out of people's reactions when I tell them it is by a Santa Barbara artist -- it's not your mother's Santa Barbara!"

Love,
Peg

Figure Drawings 2006 -
Croquis on Paper Behind Glass
in Hand Painted Frames

Stefan Hallberg

Studios:
Svartejan 2
SE-45293 Strömstad
Sweden
011-46-526-42113

Stampgatan 8
SE-411 01 Gothenburg
Sweden
011-736-561718