Born: J. Steven Manolis

July 2, 1948

Nationality: American

Education: University of South Dakota, 1966-1970; MBA, University of Chicago, 1972-1975

Private painting instruction: Wolf Kahn (1985-2013).

Awards: “Man of the Year,” Academy Honoree Award, 2006, National Academy of Design. Other positions of distinction: Advisory Board, National Academy of Design, 1980-2007, Chairman, 1998-2007); Trustee, Vermont Studio Center, 2007-2015. Books and Books, "2016 Basel Artist of the Year Award," and solo exhibition, December 2016.

Known for: Painting, watercolor, printmaking in the category of post-painterly abstract expressionism. Particularly distinctive large-scale canvases.

Early life:

South Dakota State Jaycee Junior Golf Champion 1965

Huron High School, South Dakota, 1966

Leading basketball scorer in the State of South Dakota, senior year, 1966

Academic Scholar, National Honors

Co-Founder, Torres Band, 1964-present. Inducted into the South Dakota Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011.

Biography: Interested in becoming an artist and studying art at an early age, but persuaded by his parents to pursue a career in business. Received a business degree from University of South Dakota and MBA from University of Chicago, but continued to paint privately. Became youngest partner (named in 1980) for the prestigious Salomon Brothers firm (1973-1992), with an admirable track record of success. CEO, integrated Global Salomon Brothers Real Estate Department (1984-1992). CEO Manolis & Company LLC, 1992-Present: Real Estate Investment Advisory; Director, Checchi Capital Advisors, 2012-Present.

Left all other business activities to become a fulltime painter in September 2014.

Participated in numerous group exhibitions with first solo exhibition at Chase Edwards Gallery, Bridgehampton, New York, accompanied by first book launch, “Delight in Color,” September 2014. Participated in Select Art Fair during Art Basel Miami 2014, and again in Art Wynwood 2014. Published “Color Rhapsodies” in May 2015. Exhibited in Art Hamptons and Manolis Projects Solo Exhibition, December 2015. Published “Color Matters,” February 2016. Solo exhibition at the Paul Fisher Gallery in April 2016. Published “Key West: Changing Colors,” December 2016. Invited to exhibit at the Coral Springs Museum of Art: “Dynamic Abstract Thinking,” survey of 75 works, December 2016 – February 2017. Published “J. Steven Manolis Survey—Coral Springs Museum of Art,” January 2017. Upcoming, sixth book: REDWORLD, August 2017. Upcoming solo exhibition, University of South Dakota, William Day Gallery, August 21, 2017.

NOTE: Since September 2014, Manolis has had five solo exhibitions, eight group shows, and one museum exhibition.

Philanthropy: "ART AS ACTIVISM" by J. Steven Manolis

Gift of J. Steven Manolis, May 2017: four monumental REDWORLD artworks to the University of South Dakota, accepted by vote of the USD Trustees. Permanent installation USD, Vermillion, South Dakota, in conjunction with JSM's adjacent REDWORLD poem. Locations of four works:

1) REDWORLD Quadriptych, first floor, Student Union, 7 x 32 ft.

2) Alumni Center Student Union, 8 x 16 ft.

3) Lobby, Beacom School of Business, 6 x 12 ft.

4) Dean's Office, School of Fine Arts, 4 x 6 ft.

MANOLIS PROJECTS:

J. Steven Manolis paints at Florida's largest and perhaps finest private Studio/Gallery located at 335 NE 59th Street in the Lemon City neighborhood of Little Haiti in Miami.

Manolis Projects Salon: J. Steven Manolis as curator and gallerist for a select group of outstanding artists: painters Jill Krutick and Bruce Helander; sculptor Miles Slater; and photographer Shalini Nopany.

ART+ART. JSM (Art) + Antonio Citterio (Furniture): The Maxalto Design Showroom in the Miami Design District exclusively and continuously displays Manolis' art and Citterio's furniture designs in a strategic partnership.