I had to stop for a lemonade while my husband and I strolled along Delray Beach’s art festival on Atlantic Avenue, passing by each of the booths until we finally stopped to view Steven Kummer’s work down the way. At first glance, I saw marble, but as I looked closer, it was the actual canvas I was staring at. Kummer’s process is deeply tactile, building layer upon layer, with resin binding it all. Ninety percent of his work involves painting with his fingers, guiding the movement of color to create compositions from predetermined themes or spontaneous inspiration. He describes his art as stress-free, evolving organically into form and meaning.
After a distinguished 40‑year career in information systems design and development, Kummer turned to painting, discovering a new medium for his lifelong creativity. Though new to the art world, his technical background informs his approach. He studies the chemistry of paints and media to understand their interactions, insisting on the highest-quality materials and craftsmanship.
Kummer’s work is driven by a desire to evoke strong visual responses. Shock, movement, balance, and depth are just some of the feelings often expressed through his bold color compositions and metallic accents. Influences from his wife’s Chinese heritage appear in the form of embedded characters, each carrying profound meaning that connects directly to the themes of each piece. Kummer’s attention to detail can be both powerful and even overwhelming, perhaps, as he recalls one viewer moved to tears by the symbolism in his work, an experience that reshaped how he channels energy into his art.
Beyond painting, Kummer is a martial artist with 15 years of training, having retired while preparing for his fourth‑degree black belt. Teaching, competing, and judging honed his discipline, yet he remains humble, likening himself to a gardener, rather. Where his professional life demanded aggression, art provides him balance—a practice he considers essential to his well‑being.
“Achievements,” 30″ x 30″ heavyweight canvas with a 2.5″ profile; acrylics, metallics, and epoxy resin. First in a series of three.
“Achievements.” This work was created using vibrant acrylics and metallic paints to embody the “gold stage of life.” The work is painted largely by Kummer’s fingers, building upon it layer after layer, until it is formed to represent the building blocks of success bonded by the richness of achievement. Gold metallic acrylic symbolizes the knowledge gained along the way, while iridescent colors reflect the fruitfulness of an achiever’s journey. Within the composition are two Chinese characters, handwritten by the artist’s wife, that translate to “work hard” and “prosper,” reinforcing the theme of accomplishment.
The painting’s texture was achieved through a process of layering and metallic spray, as Kummer describes, pulling the lower layers forward while the paint is still wet. It is a technique that he experimented with for the first time. The piece itself conveys strength, stability, and pride in one’s accomplishments. It is the first in a series of three works—“Achievements,” “Beautiful Life,” and “Strength”(not pictured)—each defined by a metallic theme, with gold emphasizing richness (“Strength” is in silver for clarity).
“Beautiful Life,” 30″ x 30″ heavyweight canvas with a 2.5″ profile; acrylics and metallic copper tones, epoxy resin. Second in a series of three.
“Beautiful Life.” This work is saturated with vibrant acrylics and metallic copper tones. The painting celebrates vitality and joy, inspired by the artist’s relationship with his wife. The embedded Chinese characters, written in her hand, translate to “beautiful life,” embodying their shared journey. Layers of imagery include trees with green leaves in the background, setting the symbolic foundation of a meaningful life, while a waterfall of vivid colors represents the energy, happiness, and support found in companionship. Copper serves as the metallic theme for this work, and it represents vitality. As the second in the series, “Beautiful Life” builds upon the richness of “Achievements” and precedes “Strength,” which features silver to symbolize clarity.
“A Walk in the Park.” This work, capturing the quiet beauty of seasonal change, is a must-see. The uniqueness of this piece is that the “park” can be easily overlooked if not aware of it (the photo doesn’t do it justice). Soft sky blues form the background, while layers of rich, shifting colors mirror the transformation of leaves in autumn. The painting evokes the serenity of a peaceful stroll, encouraging viewers to look upward and embrace the natural palette of life.
“A Walk in the Park,” 30″ x 40″ heavyweight canvas with a 2.5″ profile; acrylics, metallic tones, and epoxy resin.
“Nature’s Yin Yang.” This work explores the balance between ambition and peace. Golds and reds symbolize drive and aggression, while blues, grays, and whites counterbalance with stability and calm. Kummer started the piece on opposite edges, articulately bringing it to form. The composition reflects the constant clash and reconciliation of these forces, a theme rooted in Kummer’s 15 years of Tang Soo Do martial arts training. The work embodies the discipline’s philosophy of balance, translating martial practice into visual form.
“Nature’s Yin Yang,” 24″ x 48″ heavyweight canvas with a 2.5″ profile; acrylics, metallics, and epoxy resin.
Steven Kummer is a local of South Florida; his origins root from New York. For more information about him and his artwork, go to www.artfullydonellc.com.