"Pick Up Sticks", 49" x 71", mixed media, by Steve Datz
(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Novado Gallery presents "The Consistency of Inconsistency," a solo exhibition of mixed media, dimensional works by Steve Datz, on view from March 6 through May 2, 2026. In this compelling body of work, Datz explores the fluid territory between memory and imagination, challenging the notion of objective perception.
Across paintings, relief constructions, and hybrid assemblages, Datz interrogates the materiality of paint and object, transforming surfaces into sites of collision and harmony. For the artist, abstraction becomes a field of heightened awareness, an arena where intention and spontaneity coexist.
"Memory and imagination are constructs of the mind. Memory is born out of experience; imagination builds on it. Our perception is not objective. This gives each of us space to be unique regardless of originality," says Steve Datz: "When I am working, there is no past or future, only now. I am interested in creating an object of presence. The viewer completes the work by staying present with it".
Datz's process begins with focused intention: to create an object that exists fully in the present moment. He describes his studio practice not as meditation, but as "serious play," a sensory heightened state in which instinct and discipline converge. Completion is a conscious act, one that distinguishes the deliberate artist from unfiltered expression.
For the viewer, presence is equally essential. The works in "The Consistency of Inconsistency" resist easy categorization. Ambiguity is not an obstacle but an invitation. Rather than defining or judging prematurely, Datz asks us to remain with the work, allowing it to unfold as a nonverbal, experiential encounter.
An opening reception with the artist will take place on Friday, March 6, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.
A graduate of Colorado State University with a BFA in Graphic Design, Datz has exhibited extensively across the United States. His work has been featured in respected publications including Southwest Art and Western Art Collector. While widely recognized for his landscape-based practice, this exhibition highlights his deep and sustained engagement with abstraction, distilling form, gesture, and color into works that are both contemplative and immediate.
For Novado Gallery, this exhibition aligns with its commitment to presenting artists whose work stimulates meaningful dialogue and intimate engagement. "The Consistency of Inconsistency" positions the viewer not as a passive observer, but as an active participant in the experience of the work.
Novado Gallery LLC is located at 110 Morgan Street in Jersey City, New Jersey. Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 11:00am–7:00pm; Saturday: 11:00am–6:00pm; and by appointment. The gallery carries an inventory of artworks on paper & on canvas, and provides a range of art services for corporate and private clients throughout the east coast including art installation, art commissions for specific projects, and museum-quality custom framing. At Novado Gallery, their carefully curated programming presents works that encourage dialogue, celebrate the artist’s vision, and challenge conventions. From established to emerging talent, each exhibition in their gallery has been created to resonate with intellectual and emotional depth.
