Meet Stephen Moody

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Stephen Moody. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Stephen, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
It would be amazing if I only had to produce work when I was feeling creative. But, there are deadlines to be met and whether I’m feeling creative or not, the project must get finished.

It’s easy to work when the creativity is flowing. Whether I’m painting a work of art or writing my next novel – there are times when the creative juices stop flowing. It’s at that point when I find out how dedicated I am and whether it is talent or creativity that spurs me along.

I find the creativity slows when I get bored with a project. I force myself to work on it and to find something exciting to keep me involved and the creative powers come back to work.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
At the heart of it, I’m an artist. Early in my career I used a camera and film to create portraits and advertisements for corporations.

In 2003 I had my first fine art show in Scottsdale, showing my abstract nudes of the female form. I sold three of my five paintings opening night for five figures and my career shifted into fine art.

in 2006, one of Stuart Weitzman’s top executives saw my artwork and told me I needed to make my artwork available on fabrics. Three months later I had an established silk mill in Italy making my first line of handmade silk ties. Since then I have created my own line of dresses, scarves, swim wear, bomber jackets and etc. in Italy and the U.K.

At the behest of my girlfriend I wrote my first romance novel in less than a month and it was published in 2022. I am currently editing my third novel and hope to have it published this summer.

The main question people ask me is: Where do you find the time to paint and write? I love to work in the middle of the night……when no one can interrupt me.

The second question is: Where do you get your ideas? And the answer to that is quite chilling, in my head. That will make more sense once you read the novel I’m currently writing.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
As I look back on my photography/ art career. Everything I did from the age of ten lead me to the next stage of development. As a young child with a camera many of my images had movement in them. I learned to hold the camera still, but I did an art thesis my senior year in college and it was about movement.

I created a boudoir photography studio in the early 80’s in Salt Lake City of all places and became very proficient at creating beautiful seductive portraits of women.

Seven years later I am photographing a lingerie catalog in my studio in New York.

In the early 2000’s I’m creating underwater nudes of the female form in a pool in Scottsdale, using movement, color and vibration……everything that I had learned about light, movement and art came together all at once.

I studied journalism, English and French literature in college and had to write a lot. That became very handy as I had two monthly columns with two photography magazines. And then thirty years later I begin a new chapter of my life writing novels.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
I am very grateful for my mother. At the time I didn’t see it but looking back on it, she is the reason I have accomplished so many things in my life.

Instead of playing with my friends on a Saturday my mother would insist I accompany her to the Springville Art Museum.

I remembered being embarrassed when I was thirteen as my mom and I were in the Jeu de Paume Museum in Paris. Right in front of us was ‘Olympia’ by Edouard Manet, a beautiful nude of a woman on a bed. My mom could sense my uneasiness, mainly of looking at a naked woman with her next to me, (it probably didn’t help being busted with a Playboy the year before- lol). My mom found a place on the bench in front of the painting and over the next half hour she explained the painting to me in detail. From that moment on it changed my perspective of the human form.

My mother wanted me to learn everything I could about art, light, photography and she would sign me up for college and professional courses starting when I was fourteen.

She help to build confidence in me by helping me to learn as much as I could.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Image 1: Male Art Form Book (available on Amazon.com) Image 2: Entity Image 3: Apparition Image 4: Je Te Désire Image 5: Stone Cold Eyes Image 6: Des Tournesols de Mia Image 7: Purple Irises Image 8: Savannah – Novel coming this summer Image 9: Reunited

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Leadership Development
Empathy Unlocked: Understanding how to Develop Emotional Intelligence

“Empathy is the starting point for creating a community and taking action. It’s the impetus

Productivity
Where do you get your work ethic from?

We’ve all heard the phrase “work hard, play hard,” but where does our work ethic

Productivity
Boosting Productivity Through Self-Care

When you have a never-ending to-do list it can feel irresponsible to engage in self-care,