Rising Stars: Meet Steve Sandborg of Dana Point

Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Sandborg.

Hi Steve, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been drawing, painting, and building things for as long as I can remember. My father was an art director who had studied at Art Center and Otis, so our house was always full of sketchpads, paints, and the feeling that creativity mattered. Even while I was busy with a lot of outdoor hobbies growing up—diving, backpacking, fishing, and later sailing—I always found my way back to art.

I studied art at UCLA while earning an Economics degree, but a 40-year career in marketing and real estate development didn’t leave much time for personal creativity. Even so, my work and my travels kept shaping my eye. I’ve been fortunate to spend time in some of the world’s great coastal and island environments—places I first experienced through scuba diving. Those moments underwater, seeing light, color, and movement in such a pure way, stayed with me for decades. As I like to say, “I truly enjoy seeing the beauty in nearly any scene—the shapes, the colors, and the way light hits both natural and manmade things in our world.”

About five years ago, I decided to come back to painting with real intention. What started as a return became a commitment. Plein air painting—being outdoors, responding to shifting light and changing conditions—felt like a natural extension of the way I’ve always observed the world. Between painting on location, continuing to travel, sailing in local regattas, and exploring the coast near my home in Dana Point, I’ve found the subjects that feel most authentic to me: harbors, boats, beaches, and the dramatic coastal scenes that have been part of my life since childhood.

Today, I work primarily in oil, both in the studio and on location, and I’m constantly studying, learning from other artists, and challenging myself to evolve. My goal is not just to paint a scene but to create the feeling of being there—the wind, the light, the energy—so the viewer can step into that moment with me.

In addition to painting, I stay active in the local art community. My work can be seen at Studio 7 Gallery in Laguna Beach, and I’ve participated in shows such as Art-A-Fair, the Balboa Island Art Walk, the Back Bay Show, and the Dana Point Art Fest. I currently serve as President of the Southern California Plein Air Painters Association (SOCALPAPA) and am also a member of the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LPAPA).

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The more time I spend creating art, the more I realize how much I still need to learn. That’s both exciting and intimidating. I can often see the painting I want to create in my mind, but translating that vision onto canvas is endlessly challenging. I frequently feel that my skills are “never good enough,” and while that can be frustrating, it’s also what pushes me to keep growing. Painting is humbling—I produce plenty of mediocre work for every piece that really hits the mark, both in my own eyes and in the eyes of my peers or collectors.

A lot of my obstacles are self-generated. I’m constantly encouraging myself to get better, to evolve, to reach for a level of mastery I can visualize but haven’t fully achieved yet. That internal pressure is real, and it’s something I work through every time I pick up a brush.

Time is another big challenge. Making art takes a tremendous amount of time and discipline, and life doesn’t always cooperate. I juggle family commitments, leadership roles in two nonprofit organizations—including serving as President of the Southern California Plein Air Painters Association—and the occasional consulting project from my long career that still piques my interest. All of that means I’m not always painting as consistently as I’d like, and getting back into a rhythm can be tough.

But ultimately, the struggles are part of the process. They’re what make the breakthroughs meaningful. The challenge of continually trying to improve, even when I fall short, is also what keeps me engaged. If it were easy, I probably wouldn’t love it as much.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
When I think about my professional life today, it’s centered entirely around being a working artist. I bring the discipline, structure, and curiosity from my earlier career into my creative practice, but painting is now the focus of my professional world.

I work primarily in oil, painting both on location and in the studio, and I’m constantly pushing myself to grow technically and creatively. While I enjoy painting mountain landscapes, High Sierra scenes, the occasional cityscape, or even figurative subjects, I’m probably best known for my love of harbors, boats, and coastal environments. I’m a sailor, so I spend a lot of time on the water, and that naturally finds its way into my work. You’ll see a strong emphasis on Dana Point and Newport Beach—my home harbors—as well as scenes inspired by my travels throughout California and internationally.

Even when I can’t paint on location on some trips, I bring back studies and reference photos. For example, I’ve done several pieces based on a sailing trip through Panama and the San Blas Islands. I also love painting Catalina Island—its light, topography, and atmosphere are endlessly inspiring. Right now, I’m in the early stages of developing a series focused on sailboat racing, capturing the energy, teamwork, and fleeting moments of drama on the water.

I’m also frequently commissioned to paint people’s boats, which I truly enjoy. Every vessel has a story, a personality, a history between the owner and the water. Bringing that to life on canvas is always rewarding.

What sets me apart is the authenticity of experience behind the work. I paint what I know, what I’ve lived, and what I’ve spent decades exploring—whether through sailing, scuba diving, or simply being outdoors. My goal is not just to paint something beautiful, but to capture the feeling of being there: the wind, the light, the movement, the sense of place. And what I’m most proud of is that people often tell me they can “feel” the moment in my paintings. That connection is what keeps me committed to evolving and to building a body of work that reflects the world as I love and experience it.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
If there’s one thing I’d leave readers with, it’s that pursuing something creative—at any age—is worth it. Art has brought me enormous joy, but also deep humility. No matter how much I learn, there’s always another layer to uncover, another skill to sharpen, another way to grow. And the artist community I’ve become part of has been nothing short of incredible. Their encouragement, friendship, and shared passion have enriched my life in ways I never expected. I hope my work inspires others to see the beauty around them and maybe even take a creative leap of their own.

Pricing:

• Larger 24×36 or 30×40 from $3800-5000
• 12×16 or 16×20 from $950 to 1850
• 9×12 and 11×14 from $650 to 850
• Commissions incorporate my base price ranges plus factors for sketches, studies and reviews

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.stevesandborgart.com
• Instagram: IG: @stevesandborgart
• Facebook: FB: stevesandborgart
• Twitter: Email: [email protected]