His drawings capture the fluidity of the subject and the mystery of its subtext, leaving the paper to reveal traces of the process. His paintings are brought forth in deep colors, rich in texture and evoking a depth and humanity which are sensuously realized.
In 2009, Paul Bridenbaugh said in Skyline Art Gallery:
“Namara's works are grounded in classical form, yet are illuminated by an acutely contemporary reflection of the world in which we find ourselves."
In 2009, Stephen Namara said:
"In regards to my work, I am trying to create atmospheres. I am, perhaps, not so much interested in the questions of details but on the way that the light is absorbed or reflected by the surface. I employ the tension of light and shadow to heighten the suggestion of spiritual qualities, much like the Spanish Realists of the 17th century. And always I am trying to reflect the present. For the present contains the memory of the past, even though the painting is the result of an extensive span."
In 2007, Triton Museum of Art said:
"Drawing: Visions, Surfaces, and Beyond presents the work of 23 contemporary Bay Area artists who have employed the medium of drawing to create works ranging from classical life drawings to abstract renderings. Whether it is a finely detailed reclining figure, a study in charcoal of a master painting, or free-flowing vision of abstraction, each of the artists represented demonstrate the immediacy and versatility of drawing. Some of the artists even push the definitions of "drawing," as in the wire sculptures of Ruth Asawa, whose intricate constructions become drawings in three-dimensional space, as shadows emulate an ever-moving line drawing on the surrounding wall."
In 2002, Roger Downey said in Seattle Weekly:
"We tend to think of drawing as a small-scale monochrome medium, but some of the most impressive pieces on view here are large and marvelously colored. Stephen Namara places a voluptuous reclining nude, all curves and soft shadings, against severe geometric background rendered in the same muted tones."
In 1996, Cathy Curtis said in Los Angeles Times:
"But its ascendancy as a conceptual-art medium has doomed traditional figure-drawing to wallflower status. Only work by exceptional stylists still looks fresh and vital. Of the seven artists, three turn out work that is stolidly academic (Stephen Namara, Robert Schultz, Bill Vuksanovitch)."
In 1994, Signe Mayfield said in The Palo Alto Cultural Center:
"A more contained approach to the figure is seen in the lyrical drawing Bend, 1991, by Stephen Namara. In contrast to Neri's expressionistic forms, Namara has depicted the calisthenic stance of the figure in a pure, linear arabesque. An ambient, white light heightens the seductive beauty of the drawing. Its resonance comes from its capacity to act as both an abstract calligraph and Lyrical representation.
Solo
2009 Skyline College (Gallery), San Bruno, CA
2005 "Allusions and Variations", Koplin del Rio Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2003 Dolby Chadwick Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2002 Koplin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1999 "New Drawings By Stephen Namara", Dolby Chadwick Gallery, San Francisco, CA
1999 Koplin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1997 Koplin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1994 Koplin Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
1994 Haines Gallery, San Francisco, CA
1993 Koplin Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
1992 Koplin Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
1992 Haines Gallery, San Francisco, CA
1991 "Stephen Namara Recent Works", Fairfield Art Center, Fairfield, CA
1990 Haines Gallery, San Francisco, CA
1990 Merced College Art Gallery, Merced, CA
1988 Haines Gallery, San Francisco, CA
1986 Shenandoah Gallery, Sacramento, CA
1981 San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA
Group
2010 "Thinning - A 24th Anniversary Exhibition," Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
2007 "Drawings - Visions, Surfaces, and Beyond," Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA, Ruth Asawa, Noah Buchanan, Enrique Chagoya, Robert Chiarito, Lindsay Coats, James Drake, Mark Eanes, Peter Foley, Don Fritz, Ema Harris-Sintamarian, Mildred Howard, Amanda Hughen, Laura Klein, Jerri Kuehn, Crystal Liu, Paul Mullins, Stephen Namara, Leroy Parker, Trung Pham, Gustavo Ramos Rivera, Isis Rodriguez, Jennie Smith, and Reid Winfrey.
2007 "International Blitz," Lore Bert, Claudio Bravo, Willem de Looper, Julio Larraz, Adrian Luchini, Alex Macdonald, Lika Mutal, Stephen Namara, Francesca Sutil, Manolo Valdes, Sophia Vari, Andrea Vizzini, Victor Wang.
2007 ”25 Year Anniversary Exhibition” Koplan Del Rio, Culver City, CA
2007 ”10th Year Anniversary Exhibition” Dolby Chadwick Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2005 "Stillness," Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
2004 "Drawings VII", Koplin Gallery, West Hollywood, CA
2003 "Atrium at the Plaza," St. Louis, MO
2002 Dolby Chadwick Gallery, San Francisco, CA, Gregg Chadwick, Linda Christensen, Chris Cosnowski, Marshall Crossman, John DiPaolo, Kim Frohsin, Erik Gonzales, Shelly Hoyt, Anthony James, Alex Kanevsky, Patrick LoCicero, Leslie Lowinger, Betty Merken, Donna Mintz, Takeshi Nakayoshi, Stephen Namara, Michael Pauker, Jim Phalen, Gary Rudde, Ada Sadler, Thea Schrack, Howard Steinberg, Michael Tschantz-Hahn and Fan Yang.
2002 "The Perception of Appearance with trepidation", Frye Art Museum, Seattle, WA, Norman Lundin, Debra Byrne, David Brody, Judith Glantzman, Sidney Goodman, Stephen Namara, Edgar Jerins, Akio Takamori, Richard Piccolo, Catherine Murphy and David Anderson.
2002 "Current Holdings: Bay Area Drawings/ Bay Area Collections," Palo Alto Art Center, Palo Alto, CA
2001 "New Works on Paper," Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
2001 "Storytellers: the figure in time and place," San Francisco State University, CA
2000 "Drawings V," Koplin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1998 "Introductions." Haines Gallery, San Francisco, CA, Kathleen Edwards, Stephen Namara.
1998 "Drawings IV," Koplin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, Avigdor Arikha, Steven Assael, Sandow Birk, Theophilus Brown, West Christensen, Robert Colescoot, Robbie Conal, Stephen Curry, Frank Stella, Stephen Namara, Lesley Dill, James Doolin, Martha Mayer Erlebacher, John Frame, Susan Hauptman, F. Scott Hess, Laurie Hogin, R.B. Kitaj, Ira Korman, Oldrich Kulhanek, Rico Lebrun, David Ligare, Norman Lundin, Kerry James Marshall, Rebecca Jo Morales, Len Paschoal, Sarah Perry, Ron Rizk, Sandra Sallin, Robert Schultz, Robert Stackhouse, Fred Stonehouse, Masami Teraoka, David Tomb, Kent Twitchell, Nicila Tyson, Bill Vuksanovich, Howard Warshaw, Mark Werhli, and Paul Wonner.
1999 Koplin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, ("Group show"), Darlene Campbell, Stephen Namara.
1996 "Drawn Conclusions," Riverside Art Museum, Riverside, CA
1996 "Hand, Eye, Heart, Mind: Figurative Drawings," Golden West College or GWC, CA.
1996 "National Drawing Invitational Exhibitions," The Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock, AR
1995 "Eight Artists, Eight Views of the Figure," Koplin Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, Joyce Treiman, Pamela Wilson, Stephen Namara, Martha Mayer Erlebacher, Theophlius Brown, Edward Schmidt, Kent Twitchell, Lesley Dill.
1995 "American Color: a Late 20th Century Perspective," Louis Stern Fine Arts, West Hollywood, CA
1995 "In the Black," Luckman Fine Arts Gallery, Cal State Los Angeles, CA, Janice DeLoof, Kim Dingle, Vernon Fisher, Tim Hawkinson, Stephen Namara, Salomón Huerta, Kerry James Marshall and John Outterbridge.
1994 "Slice of Life: Contemporary Still Life’s," Riverside Art Museum, CA
1994 "Out of Africa: Beyond Tradition," Opts Art, San Francisco, CA,
1994 "Drawing the Line," Susan Cummings Gallery, Mill Valley, CA
1994 "Lyricism & Light," Palo Alto Cultural Center, Palo Alto, CA, Chester Arnold, Jonathan Barbieri, Christopher Brown, Leslie Lerner, Stephen Namara, Manuel Neri, Nathan Oliveira, Deborah Oropallo and Yale Schively.
1993 "Drawings III," Koplin Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
1992 "Drawings II," Koplin Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
1992 "Encaustics," Palo Alto Cultural Center, Palo Alto, CA
1992 "Encaustics", Palo Alto Cultural Center, Palo Alto, CA
1992 "Drawings II", Koplin Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
1984 "The Point Gallery," Hunters’ Point Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, CA
