Stephen Shortridge 

"The Music Room" 

This artwork is:

• New

• Plate Signed

• Custom Framed in a two toned gold and brown wood frame 

• Framed Size: 34" x 28"

• Image Size: 32" x 26"

• Complete with ready to hang hardware installed

• Interested in different framing?  Contact us!

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Stephen Charles Shortridge (born October 23, 1951) is a renowned American "Romantic Impressionist" painter who first gained national fame as a successful actor in the 1970s and 1980s. 

Early Life 

Born in Red Oak, Iowa, and raised in Southern California, Shortridge showed artistic talent from a young age. He attended Idaho State University on a water polo scholarship, where he became an All-American. It was during his college years that he took his first formal painting class, though he initially majored in commercial art.

Acting and Modeling Career

Before fully committing to fine art in 1989, Shortridge spent roughly 20 years in the entertainment industry:

• Television Roles: He is most recognized for playing Beau DeLaBarre (the "Southern Sweathog") on Welcome Back, Kotter. He was also an original cast member of the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful, playing David Reed in 1987.

• Commercials and Modeling: He appeared in over 50 national commercials for brands like Coca-Cola, Mennen (Speed Stick), and Head & Shoulders.

• Film: He had a role in the 1989 film Say Anything....

Transition to Fine Art

Shortridge left acting to pursue painting because it offered him complete creative control, unlike the collaborative and often restrictive nature of film and television. Influenced heavily by French Impressionists like Claude Monet, as well as Joaquín Sorolla and John Singer Sargent, he developed a style characterized by bold brushstrokes and vibrant colors. His work is highly collected, with celebrity owners including Patty Duke, Donna Summer, and Rick Dees. He also once exhibited his art alongside fellow actor-artist Peter Falk. Personal LifeShortridge currently resides in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, with his family, where he owns and operates The Painter's Chair Fine Art Gallery.