Stephen Winters: The Animal I Forgot I Was
August 22nd - October 10th
Reception: August 22nd, 5:30 - 7:30 pm
In collaboration with the White Wolf Wellness Foundation, RAM is pleased to present The Animal I Forgot I Was, a new body of work by Stephen Winters that explores the interconnectedness of humans and the natural world through painting, observation, and lived experience.
Drawing from years spent immersed in the riverside ecosystem of the Kern River—as both an artist and a licensed falconer—Winters examines the relationships that bind all living systems. His work moves fluidly between representation and abstraction, where bee swarms evoke neural networks, clouds dissolve into fields of energy, and natural forms merge with patterns generated by sound. These layered compositions invite viewers to consider the shared structures that connect consciousness, matter, and the living world.
At the heart of the exhibition is a simple yet profound question: What part of ourselves have we forgotten by living as though we are separate from nature? Rather than offering answers, The Animal I Forgot I Was encourages a renewed awareness of our place within the broader ecology of life, inviting us to reconnect with an ancient instinct of belonging.
Stephen Winters (b. 1982, Rome, NY) is a painter and sculptor based in Bakersfield, California. Living close to the Kern River on Okihi, Winters is interested in our symbiotic relationship with nature. Whether through pastoral, figurative paintings, gestural drawings, or non-objective metal sculptures that suggest the peaks and valleys of a mountain range, his work reflects his passion for the environment. Through each medium, Winters invites us to delve into the profound interconnectedness of all living beings.
Winters received his BFA from the School at the Art Institute of Chicago in 2007, where he studied painting and sculpture. While working in Chicago, Winters was an apprentice to sculptor Evan Lewis in 2010 and artist/designer Brian Kerrigan in 2012. In 2009, Winters's work was featured at Lollapalooza. Winters plays a key role in leading the White Wolf Wellness Foundation at Okihi, a non-profit organization that provides yoga, meditation, sound baths, outdoor recreation, and educational classes for the Bakersfield community. In 2022, Winters was awarded a California Arts Council Grant for a public installation on the property.
About Okihi and White Wolf Wellness Foundation: Beginning in the 1940s, Okihi was a thriving camp where young people could experience the outdoors. When the camp closed in 2010, it was destroyed by vandals, fire, off-roading, and neglect. Under the stewardship and vision of the White Wolf Wellness Foundation, the property will again be restored to a mindful retreat space with outdoor education programs, day-use camping, and retreat options centered around sustainable water and land management practices—practices that balance native and edible plants to restore healthy habitats for all wildlife.
White Wolf Wellness Foundation was founded in 2018 when partners Katherine and Stephen Winters identified an opportunity to use the non-profit sector to bring their mindfulness-based wellness programs to communities that might not otherwise have access to them. Striving to create a healthier, happier community, White Wolf Wellness offers yoga, meditation, sound baths, mindful outdoor access, and outdoor educational classes. Most events are held at the 13.7-acre riverside property, Okihi, located 20 minutes from downtown Bakersfield.
For more information, please visit the White Wolf Wellness website.
