Tyler "Sour Steve" Stephens Official Dossier
"The collage art of Tyler "Sour Steve" Stephens continues to reveal new connections upon each study and poses many interesting questions about the reality of our world today and how we got here. The complexity of the many collage elements and references to well-known pop culture images surprise and intrigue." - Jenna Bailey
Tyler “Sour Steve” Stephens is the living embodiment of a new generation of DIY punk artists. At only 25-years old Sour Steve is a master of all trades from hand-crafted, surreal, tongue-in-cheek collage bits to writing, recording, and producing three full length punk rock albums from his studio apartment, Sour Steve is a quintessential DIY artist of our time.
Sour Steve has been combining gripping punk lyrics with thought-provoking collage works since 2019. By combining vintage pre-war and post-war adverts of 1930’s-1950’s with more modern imagery of our current political/social landscape, Sour Steve’s art challenges the viewer on all fronts to confront the incongruities and hypocrisy of our modern society.
In 2020, Sour Steve became a member of Oakland, CA-based art collective, Destroy Art Inc. Together, the team use their art as activism to fight off bigotry, hatred, and injustice as seen fit and use their talents to promote love, empowerment and community.
Art Shows
Eat Your Heart Out / Market of the Beast online group art exhibition. 2021
May Day! / Market of the Beast online group art exhibition. 2021
All Riot on the Western Front @ Caldwell Arts Council. Solo Exhibition Lenoir, NC 2022
Fallout! (Grand Opening) @ Fallout SF group art exhibition. San Fransisco, CA 2022
Off With Their Heads @ Fallout SF group art exhibition. San Fransisco, CA 2022
Competitions
Trade Alley Art Competition / Trade Alley Arts *Honorable Mention* - Hickory, NC. 2021
Caldwell Visual Arts Competition / Caldwell Arts Council *Best in Show* - Lenoir, NC 2021
Open Arts Competition / Rock School Arts Fnd. *Honorable Mention* - Valdese, NC 2022
Trade Alley Art Competition / Trade Alley Arts *Honorable Mention* - Hickory, NC 2022
Commission Work
LiveDirty-Douglas / Live Dirty Skateboards. 2020
LiveDirty Panoramic / Live Dirty Skateboards. 2021
Sportz (Fun with Balls) / Personal Consumer. 2021
A Question of Authority / Destroy Everything Fanzine Issue #2. 2021
Discography
Age of Disconnection / Sour Steve Wrote, recorded, published. 2019
Life in a Cage / Sour Steve Wrote, recorded, published. 2020
All Natural, Organic Delirium! / Sour Steve Wrote, recorded, produced, published. 2021
Klandemic / Dead Fucking Serious - Lyric book artwork. 2021
Videography
EMP Over DC Official Music Video / Sour Steve Music Video. 2019
Rest in Profits Official Music Video / Sour Steve Music Video. 2020
DK Barbed Wire Promo / Winston Smith + Destroy Art Inc. Social media promo. 2021
Art Zines
Destroy Everything Issue #1 / Destroy Art Inc. Art fanzine feature. 2021
Cut, Paste, Destroy/Destroy Everything Issue #2 / Destroy Art Inc. Art fanzine feature. 2021